


Truce

by angelcakes19



Category: Transformers (Bay Movies)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-06-12
Updated: 2013-01-01
Packaged: 2017-11-07 14:14:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 14
Words: 45,056
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/432059
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angelcakes19/pseuds/angelcakes19
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Megatron wrongfully punishes Starscream he realises how detrimental their disagreements are to the Decepticon cause. Will they ever be able to form a truce for the good of themselves and their faction?<br/>Link to version with html coding intact- http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7831316/1/Truce</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Wings

Author's Notes- Hello again. Here is the first chapter of my tentatively named 'Truce' fic (if anyone has any better ideas for a title I would would be very grateful for them). I wish to thank peppymint, Darkness413 , Confuzzled-Neko and poisonouswaffle'n-stuffs for their reviews.  
Beta- the lovely Kibble Beast.  
Warnings- Violence and Transformer swearing. (Later chapters- Major Character Death and torture- the Decepticons being themselves. There will be individual warnings with each chapter).  
Set post-ROTF  
Disclaimer- I do not own Transformers or its characters.  
I will be using some G1 and Armada characters and ideas.  
Offlined/ permanently offlined/ deactivated- death  
Optics offlined/ temporarily offlined- recharging/ passed out  
Units of time:-   
Astrosecond- 1 second  
Klik- 1 minute  
Cycle- 1 hour  
Orn- 1 day  
Decacycle- 1 week  
Meta-cycle- 1 month  
Solar cycle- 1 year  
Little Notes:-  
\- Commed speech is in bold.  
\- I visualise Starscream's wings as slightly bigger than in cannon.  
\- Seeker trines hatch over a period of three orns- one each orn. The oldest is the trine-leader.  
\- Should a Seeker lose his trine members then he/she will slowly die unless they enter a reconstituted trine and will be in pain until they do.  
Chapters will vary in length but won't be below a thousand words.  
Hope you all enjoy.  
________________________________________  
Truce  
Chapter One- Wings  
Locked away in his lab, Starscream moaned feebly as he tried to patch himself up. It wasn't fair, Primus damn it. He had been good. This time he had behaved and been obedient. The mission he had been sent on had been successful and he had returned with his trine loaded down with energon.  
He snarled as he attempted to fix his wing- what was it the humans said? Damned if you do and damned if you don't? A fitting sentiment considering today. Thundercracker, Skywarp and himself had been sent with some of the other Decepticons to attempt to gather the precious fuel for themselves and the remaining hatchlings. They had attacked a power station and had begun to collect energon as per orders when the Autobots, a fairly small number- with Prime obviously missing (should have noticed- Primus why didn't I notice? Why didn't I realise?)- had predictably attacked.  
Starscream allowed himself a brief snigger; a few of those Autobots would definitely not be fighting another orn. They had actually won! For the first time in far too long. Or so he had thought…  
On his return to the base Starscream had landed gracefully with barely a scratch on him, still exhilarated from battle. The Nemesis was silent.  
He sighed whilst he sipped a bit of high-grade to build up his nerve before returning to attempting to fix his terribly damaged wings. If it had been anything else he'd have gone to Hook but… his wings. Arguably the most brilliant- and most vulnerable- part of him, and Hook just couldn't or wouldn't be gentle with them. The medic was only to be trusted if absolutely necessary. He also couldn't go to his brothers for fear of worrying them.  
Starscream buried his helm in his servos for a moment. Should have noticed how quiet it was but the others were so loud. Not that he could really blame them as he had been the same. They had all been crowing their victory through the comm link and out loud. Some of the younger ones had done loop-the-loops (before being reprimanded by their elders to have more dignity and to have more care considering the energon they stored inside of them), though secretly the veterans too had ached to join their sparkling-like antics, and so had allowed them their fun for a few precious moments. It wasn't often they had something to celebrate after all.  
The Decepticons had stored the energon in extremely high spirits, morale given an unimaginable boost: they had caused Autobot losses but every single Decepticon that had departed with Starscream that morning had returned with him in the afternoon. It also had the pleasant effect that the others had gained a bit more respect for the Air Commander and his leadership skills. He had left the others to finish storing the energon and had been walking along the corridor, chatting animatedly with his trinemates, when they heard the missing members of their faction crash into the Nemesis.  
Starscream's joy had faded the second an enraged Megatron roared his name. His trine put their servos on his shoulders and squeezed supportively. As they walked hurriedly towards their leader, Starscream began to shake, and unnoticed by others, Skywarp began to stroke his left wing for comfort. As they reached their destination they were already in their expected positions: the Air Commander in the middle, Thundercracker to his right and Skywarp to his left a step behind him. They stopped and forced themselves not to gape. The other half of the Decepticon army lay, some literally, in pieces before them. Before Starscream could ask what in the Pit had happened, a relatively unscathed Megatron had stormed up to him and punched him across the faceplates. He had stumbled backwards but was caught by his trinemates- who had disregarded Megatron's disapproving snarl- and given him a push back upright.  
It hadn't made any difference really. Megatron had grabbed him by the wings and had dragged him screeching to the leader's private chambers. 'Master?' he had whimpered from the berth-room floor where Megatron had dumped him, 'please Master, what have I done?' He was sure he'd been good; no treacherous plans, no insults, not even a disrespectful tone when he had been briefed that morning- he had decided recently that, at least for the present, it was unwise to go for power. Besides, he was happy with his trinemates, his brothers, and didn't want to lose them either by being terminated himself or… by Megatron executing them to punish the Seeker. He had no wish to lose his little family when they had only just returned to him after centuries apart. For that he was content to be subservient and respectful to the silver mech. Too little too late maybe but he was willing to try.  
Starscream pulled himself into a kneeling position and stared at the floor, helm submissively lowered yet as he listened to Megatron rant, his optics had widened. It had taken most of his willpower and self-control to keep his claws from digging into his metallic palms. He and the others had, unknowingly, been used as a diversion while the remaining Decepticons had attacked their real objective. His rage withdrew into the back of his processor, borderline terror taking its place when he heard a change in the larger mech's tone.  
Loud and raging he could handle- it meant Megatron wasn't really focussing on him- but it had suddenly gone cold, and the nail in the coffin had been Megatron addressing him by name in that chilling tone. It meant punishment was coming but for what? He had done to the letter what he had been told without question or complaint- and he had succeeded. To think he had actually been looking forward to writing his report; he hated reports! They were time-consuming and confining, trapping him in away from the sky. If he had known that most human schoolchildren had homework every night he may have felt a tiny bit of sympathy for the young fleshlings. But of course he didn't, and human study was the least of his worries at this moment. As it was, he had tried to remain silent as Megatron stalked towards his kneeling form.  
'Please Master, it was not my fault.'  
'It's always your fault.'  
Starscream hadn't gotten another word out before Megatron had taken hold of his wings- the Seeker only managed a few astroseconds of panic before his leader shredded the appendages with his terrible claws, slicing through them like the Seeker had cut through the clouds not a cycle earlier. The agony stole his voice for a moment- then he emitted a scream that temporarily shorted his vocal processor. Despite slumping to the floor, his CPU instantly panicked when he heard an energon whip power up.  
'Master!' he shrieked, 'please Master I-'  
The first lash hit where his wings were connected to his back. Then the blows rained down on the remnants of his wings and wherever else was vulnerable. He had begged and pleaded, even tried to tell the Decepticon Commander of his- now small- success, blurted out apologies for something that wasn't his fault.  
'You always fail me, Starscream,' Megatron had growled, powering the whip down and looming over his sobbing second. 'Get out of my sight.'  
Starscream's spark clenched. He hadn't failed, not this time. Still, he'd crawled out of his Master's quarters and headed slowly for his lab (leaving a trail of energon in his wake) for a private breakdown and to mend his ruined wings. On entering the code to let him into the lab he had dragged himself in and then, finally, had allowed himself to temporarily offline from the pain.  
He looked down and realised that energon was pooling beneath him- he knew he had to work faster. Eventually the Seeker was back to what, with a little bit more work, could pass for normalcy. A bit bruised and battered but, not including some lingering damage, relatively whole. On his own it had taken him cycles but it was worth it for the privacy and for the sanctuary of the laboratory Megatron had given him.  
Considering his repairs, Starscream was alarmed to find that his legs weren't obeying his orders to get up. He gave up and slumped on the tarpaulin he was leaning on when he realised it wasn't a mechanical fault; he just didn't have the will yet to leave this safe place. He rolled on his front to make sure that the weight wasn't on his recently damaged back and, using his arms as a pillow, shut his optics off and tried to get a bit of recharge.  
Megatron paced his room irritably, abruptly realising his second's energon was coating the floor. Not only that, but he was trekking in it. He growled, then turned around and stormed from his room, suddenly wanting to see just how badly his second had done with his task. As the Commander raged through the halls of the Nemesis, he once again contemplated finding the imbecile and draining his life force so he himself could feed off it. It had briefly occurred to him while he had been punishing the lowly mech- but then he had been distracted by Starscream's sounds of suffering. Music to his audios. He smirked- then frowned, puzzled: Starscream's behaviour had been suspicious of late. He was… behaving and being respectful without scorn. He couldn't remember the Seeker having ridiculed or criticised him in decacycles. What was that brat up to?  
Megatron emerged into the storage facility to find Starscream's trinemates silently putting away the energon which had been abandoned when the Air Commander's team had heard their comrades arrive. Primus. The previously almost empty shelves were now about three-quarters full and there was still more to stock. Megatron wandered in, staring hungrily and not a little dumbstruck. For the first time in what had to be solar cycles the little slag hadn't failed him. He knew he had punished the other mech undeservedly but he had needed to release his anger and tension somehow and no-one was better for that than Starscream. The large mech's optics narrowed and he stormed forward, picking up Skywarp by the throat, almost crushing it. 'How many mechs did that worthless piece of scrap lose to achieve this?'  
'None sir,' Thundercracker answered proudly.  
'He ordered you all to flee then, did he?' Megatron answered snidely. Dirty little coward.  
'No, Lord Megatron.'  
'No?' The Commander stared at Thundercracker, lost for words, and loosened his hold on Skywarp's throat.  
'We scrapped the Autobots that attacked us, My Lord,' Skywarp threw in, eager to defend Starscream now he could speak, 'all of them.'  
Megatron nodded, seemingly in some kind of daze, before turning on his pede and walking out, not noticing the two deadly glares aimed at his back. Rationally, he knew it had not been Starscream that had cost them this battle, but Soundwave. He had misjudged how many Autobots would go to defend the plant Megatron had sent Starscream to, as well as just how valuable the area they had been truly targeting was when he had proposed this plan to Megatron.  
He had counted on Prime being there but both he and Soundwave had agreed that Prime would send some of his more powerful mechs to Starscream's position because of his status as Megatron's second. Although a few key players were absent from Megatron's field and presumably now permanently offline, Ironhide, Ratchet and most of the others had come to Megatron's battle. Was there an information leak in the Decepticons? He thought briefly of Starscream as a candidate- then dismissed it. It wasn't his style and he wouldn't do anything to endanger his trinemates, that much Megatron did know about his Air Commander. Suddenly, Megatron halted in the corridor. There was something strange and foreign in his circuitry and he couldn't pinpoint what it was.  
The Decepticon hurried to his private quarters so he could think, and sat silently staring in the dark, the scent of Starscream's energon hanging in the air. Megatron sighed gruffly, any further anger he felt fading. With Prime and the Autobots he could try again, he could always try again, but with Starscream... Although he loved the sounds of pain that only Starscream could seem to make, deep in his processor he acknowledged that this situation was ridiculous. Starscream was his SIC and his Air Commander and he needed him in top condition when they fought together. Memories trickled through his server and he began to wonder just how many battles had been lost because he himself had weakened Starscream- and through him all of the Seekers- beforehand? His expression darkened and he brooded for a while. Coming to a decision, he strode from his rooms, summoning an underling through the comm link to come and clean up Starscream's energon whilst he went in search of his Seeker. Perhaps the two could come to some arrangement. The brat seemed to be behaving: perhaps if Megatron offered a promise not to hurt him in return for keeping the behaviour up, his Seeker would agree. He hoped pragmatically, but with a cynical amusement, that Starscream hadn't managed to repair himself yet; then he could tend to the flier and it would encourage the trust that had been lost (not just tonight, but thousands of solar cycles since), to regrow.  
________________________________________  
Hope you liked it.


	2. Protection

Author's Note- Hello again here is the second chapter. Special thanks to peppymint (don't worry Starscream will be fine :-)) and poisonouswaffle'n-stuffs for their reviews and to everyone who favourited or alerted this story- I am incredibly happy right now- and Kibble Beast for betaing.  
Warnings- Transformer swearing (I think that's all for this chapter). Heads up for chapter four which will be quite a bit darker than preceding chapters.  
Disclaimer- I do not own Transformers or its characters.  
Beta- The lovely Kibble Beast.  
All mistakes are my own.  
P.S. I have names for the sparklings :-).  
Hope you all enjoy it.  
________________________________________  
Chapter Two- Protection  
Starscream was recharging peacefully, CPU and spark currently oblivious to the pain still coursing through his back armour and circuitry, and his wings which fluttered lightly in recharge. His quiet was shattered abruptly by what seemed to be Devastator jumping on his helm. On waking further he realised the noise was actually powerful blows against his sealed lab door. 'Starscream? Starscream, I know you're in there! Let me in!'  
Shaking, with fear racing through his circuits, Starscream climbed to his pedes, wincing at the little shocks of pain through his system. 'Coming, Master,' he called and the pounding, mercifully, ceased. The SIC stumbled reluctantly across the room and hesitated only for an astrosecond before entering the override to unlock the door. It slid open and Megatron stalked inside. For a few moments they simply stared at each other before the smaller mech dropped to his knees.  
The Commander moved then, slowly circling Starscream once before disappearing behind him and pushing the other Decepticon forward slightly to access the damage. The Seeker whimpered but Megatron shushed him and gently encouraged the wings to open out. Idiot, you should have gone to Hook. But then it was the Seeker's wings… Starscream had done a fair job but there were still a few bits- to Megatron's delight- that needed tending.  
He scooped up his Air Commander easily, and again quietened the second when he gave a distressed whine. Despite Starscream's reluctance to be touched, through fear or uncertainty he was fairly still whilst Megatron carried him back to his own, now clean, quarters. There he was laid out on the berth on his front before the larger silver Decepticon crossed the room and got a repair kit out of his cabinet. Unlike Hook, Megatron believed he knew enough about wings to know how to at least touch them without causing pain. He would fix the smaller mech, then they would talk. He couldn't resist, however, pinching the Seeker's wings before getting started to hear him yelp.  
Starscream stayed silent after that and kept his optics switched off. He could hear his leader crossing the room and returning to his side. He hissed slightly when he felt an unusually gentle servo stroke damaged parts of his wings. He could feel tools being applied to the damage he himself hadn't been able to reach. Desperately trying to refrain from sobbing like a sparkling, the Air Commander clenched his dental plates in an effort to stay silent. Megatron kept up a soothing stroking of the fixed parts of Starscream's wings as he worked. He could almost taste the confusion pouring off his Seeker, yet made quick work of the wings and fixed the remainder of the back plating.  
Job done, the Warlord then walked around the edge of the berth, tapped the Seeker to get his attention and offered a servo to Starscream, pulling him into a less vulnerable sitting position. The Commander pulled a chair over and sat on it in a half-sparked attempt to appear non-threatening. He cleared his vocaliser awkwardly. How to begin? Perhaps an acknowledgement of the Seeker's success would put the smaller mech at his ease, at least temporarily.  
'Starscream… you...' Megatron trailed off. Slag it. He stared at Starscream's now online and anxious optics. He couldn't admit to being wrong, especially to Starscream of all mechs. He sighed frustratedly and felt familiar satisfaction course through his energon when his Air Commander cringed. Ruthlessly forcing that to the back of his processor, Megatron resolved to try again. 'Starscream, I have a proposition I wish to put to you.' There, that got his point across and he, the leader of the Decepticons, did not have to admit fault.  
'A proposition, My Lord?' Starscream questioned curiously, his helm on one side resting on his shoulder armour trying to read the other mech.  
'Yes. Of recent you have been behaving yourself, to my knowledge, quite well.' He gave his SIC a questioning look and when Starscream nodded he continued. 'I would prefer this behaviour to continue in return for my… my protection.'  
'Protection?' Starscream's optics narrowed suspiciously but there was a small glint of curiosity there. Megatron hesitated, thinking on just how to ask this without setting his screeching Seeker off and, more importantly, without tarnishing his own reputation. He stayed silent as he considered and tried to ignore Starscream's increasing unease and panicked glances at the door. 'S-sir?' Starscream prompted quietly, unusual bravery born of mounting fear.  
Megatron shook himself and murmured an affirmative. What in the Pit am I doing! He growled and Starscream recoiled. 'You behave and I don't crush you, understand?'  
'Yes, My Lord.'  
'Good- now get out!'  
Starscream was gone in an optic blink. Now repaired, he hurried to his private chambers to process what Megatron had said, what he had offered, before the larger mech had typically lost his temper. It seemed an attractive enough proposal, but how long before one or both of them slipped back into old patterns? A determined look crossed his faceplates. This time if either of them was going to be in the wrong, it was going to be Megatron.  
He would make sure of it.   
Megatron sat on his berth, fuming. That had not gone how he had intended it to. The Decepticon Lord clenched his fists as he contemplated what to do next. After a few kliks he snapped his claws and a terrible gleeful look crossed his faceplate. When was the last time he had indulged his second in his 'scientific experiments' on the humans? The results were always entertaining for some comic relief of the non-bashing Starscream variety. 'Soundwave,' the Decepticon commed his subordinate.  
'Proceed Lord Megatron.'  
'Get me…,' he thought for a moment, 'ten humans. Ones that will not be easily missed. Five females and five males.'  
'Affirmative, Lord Megatron.'  
The Decepticon Leader settled back onto his berth, smirking. This would shut his Seeker up for a while and confirm that he would be battle-ready when required. He never left his lab when doing 'science' and so would be out of Megatron's way. It would also put his second in an amiable mood which could be exploited. It was one area where they had common ground and so the conversation he would have to have with the little brat should be easier. At least theoretically. Megatron frowned for a moment before amusing himself with the fact that he would have an experiment to do of his very own.  
________________________________________  
Starscream sat on his berth, closed his optics, and accessed his trine-bond. Almost immediately Skywarp warped in with Thundercracker, narrowly avoiding doing so on Starscream's helm. The Trine-Leader allowed them their concerned expressions for a moment before grabbing Skywarp and affectionately cuffing him on the back of the helm. 'Be more careful. How many times do I have to tell you? You'll land on Megatron one day and then where would we be?' He pulled his chastised brother in for a hug. 'I'm the only one who is allowed to hurt you, got it?'  
'Yes Star.' Skywarp murmured, snuggling into Starscream's chassis. 'Are you really ok?'  
'Of course I am.' The oldest Seeker looked up at Thundercracker as he spoke and met his optics as he stroked Skywarp's helm. TC nodded once and sat down next to Starscream and leaned in close. He sighed as one of Starscream's wings wrapped round him protectively. After a while Skywarp slipped into recharge, holding tightly to his wingmate. Starscream rose with the youngest Seeker in his arms and tucked him into his berth before settling back down next to his other trinemate.  
'He's exhausted, isn't he?'  
'He hasn't rested since the evening before the raid.'  
Starscream swore colourfully and sighed- this time it was Thundercracker's turn to offer a caring wing. 'He was worried about you. We were worried about you.' Starscream's engines vented apologetically, knowing that Thundercracker was annoyed he had cut off their link, as he as the eldest could. 'We would have borne it with you.'  
'I didn't want you to. It's my responsibility, above all others, to keep you safe. That's what makes it bearable when… he's like that, knowing that you two are out of harm's reach.'  
The middle wingmate nodded- he didn't have to like it, but he could understand it. He promised himself that he would explain it to Skywarp in private later and hope that the youngest mech would see their eldest's reasoning as well. 'He hurt you badly?' Thundercracker's wings flickered in almost distress.  
'No, just a couple of bruises. Received more damage fighting Autobots and we both know how seldom they actually succeed in damaging me.'  
The pair exchanged evil grins. Thundercracker would know he was lying, but Starscream was also sure that his trinemate would not say anything further about it unless he, the older brother, brought it up himself. Starscream was grateful for that, but remembering something, he frowned after a klik. 'He actually behaved rather oddly, at least afterward.'  
'He's always behaving oddly, Screamer.' Thundercracker, despite his words, was looking at the other Seeker curiously.  
Starscream paused at the nickname then shrugged it off. Can't start shrieking with Skywarp recharging. He resolved to get Thundercracker back later; perhaps he could slip some high grade energon into his drink? Mentally sniggering then shaking himself, Starscream got to the point. 'He… patched me up and offered his…' How had Megatron worded it? 'Protection.' That was it.  
'Protect you how?'  
'From him apparently.' Thundercracker gave him an odd look, but he continued. 'Then he threw me out.'  
'That sounds more like him.' The blue Decepticon thought for a moment but didn't communicate what he was thinking to Starscream either vocally or through their bond. Surely he should protect you anyway.   
Starscream could see in the other Seeker's optics what his brother was thinking and smiled- not smirked, but genuinely smiled. 'Better get some recharge,' Starscream murmured, 'another orn, another stupid-aft plan.'  
Thundercracker curled his wings into his back and found a comfortable position on Starscream's berth, one servo reaching out for the black and purple Seeker already settled there and the other for Starscream. The Trine-Leader laid on his front and blanketed Thundercracker with one of his wings, the other curled comfortably into his own back armour.  
________________________________________  
Skywarp was rudely awakened from his recharge when Soundwave commed him. He sat up with a start and then froze so as not to wake the others.  
Assistance required.   
Why? Skywarp frowned, optics fluttering sleepily and wings moving lightly up and down in a small stretch.  
Do not question. Assistance required.  
Alright- I'm coming, I'm coming. It was amazing how the telepath could convey impatience and growing annoyance in a monotone. Skywarp sighed and extricated himself gently from his trinemates. He crossed the room and turned to quickly check on Starscream: the Air Commander seemed fine and was recharging peacefully. Thundercracker will look after him.   
A moment later he was gone.  
He reappeared beside Soundwave who held a list out to him. 'A shopping list?' The teleporter asked with a hint of his eldest brother's inquisitiveness.  
'Assumption: partially correct. List: locations of humans who will not be easily missed. Order: retrieve them.' Skywarp stared for a second, then nodded and Soundwave gave him ten jars in a special case which were both designed for the purpose of storing organic creatures that needed to breathe.  
Skywarp took it and then vanished, teleporting to a park in England and, after a couple of kliks of looking at his new surroundings with a wonder bordering on the sparkling-like, began scanning for the homeless couple who slept there. Once located, he glided over to them and scooped them into two of the jars he had been given and returned them to the case. Skywarp quickly check around, then shot into the air, all the while keeping a tab on the humans to make sure they didn't terminate. Mindful of this, he quickly retrieved the other eight humans. Five of them were homeless, two of them a suicide-risk, and the last a simple loner.  
He returned triumphant, his humans all alive if not well. Having secured the jars in the case so they didn't roll around, the Seeker handed the object carefully to Soundwave. The typically emotionless mech turned around and walked off without a word of thanks. Skywarp shrugged and teleported back to Starscream's berth to his still recharging wing-brothers and nestled himself back in, wings and servos instinctively seeking the touch of his trinemates.  
Starscream was the next to be disturbed along with both of his trinemates half a cycle later when Megatron blew up his door.  
________________________________________  
Thanks for reading and please review.


	3. Experimentation

Author's Note- Hi here is the third chapter. Special thanks to peppymint and poisonouswaffle'n-stuffs for their reviews and to everyone who alerted this story, and Kibble Beast for betaing :-).   
Warnings- Transformer swearing and Starscream being cruel to his humans.  
Disclaimer- I do not own Transformers or its characters  
Beta- The lovely Kibble Beast.  
All mistakes are my own.  
Hope you all like it.  
________________________________________  
Chapter Three- Experimentation  
Starscream giggled quietly, seated at his lab counter. His optics met the stares of the terrified fleshlings in front of him. Quickly and carefully, mindful of how fragile his subjects were, he rearranged them in the jars. He wished to observe how the different groups would interact in this time of, to put it mildly, stress.  
The Air Commander had used five jars, each with a different assortment. He viewed them critically: two men, two women, a man and woman together, and a man and woman each on their own. Yes, that would be perfect.  
He hooked up some jar-surveillance so he could watch the developments later. The other two were surplus to requirements in this respect but would make excellent lab rats. He scooped up the woman and strapped her down. He was curious to see how she would react to cold, heat and electricity.  
He giggled again. The scientist was not normally allowed to indulge himself this much; the Decepticons' cover depended on discretion. Therefore, if many humans vanished without trace it would draw too much attention and suspicion. Such a gift, even if it was from Megatron, was not to be wasted. He didn't quite understand why the Commander had felt it necessary to blow up his door but perhaps it was Megatron just being... well, Megatron. At any rate, he would keep the fleshlings alive as long as he was able to in these conditions. Starscream pondered for a moment, like a human child in a sweet shop, which method and device he should go for first. He knew from research on the internet what would be fatal to a human but he wanted to see how far the boundaries could be pushed. These two are more for fun anyway. It didn't really matter if he overindulged and killed the surplus subjects; it was the others he was interested in. He wanted to know how humans related to each other in times of need. Perhaps find a weakness in their patterns of behaviour.  
Taking a small bit of rope, Starscream delicately tied the woman's arms and legs together before picking up a tray and dumping the bound femme- fleshling woman into it. He crossed the room and slid the tray into a storage unit designed for keeping some of his equipment cool, then waited a klik before removing the woman, smirking at how she shivered violently. The second then took the specimen back to his counter to monitor her life signs, debating with himself idly whether the woman would survive in the unit for a further klik this time when his audios picked up something. He'd ignored the quiet sobbing coming from some of the jars, particularly the ones with the humans on their own he noted, but this time there was speech. He looked down and the human male he'd intended to experiment on (with a rod he'd designed to give off certain levels of heat with the touch of a button) was shouting obscenities at him. Amused, the Air Commander had an idea. He shoved the human woman back in her jar and picked up the squishy male by the back of his shirt between two claws and stared at him intently until the human ran out of energy.  
'You and I are going for a flight,' Starscream decided. Being in the lab was one of the very few things that could distract him any real length of time from the sky- he could test the rod on the woman later. It would be interesting to see how long the human lasted at Starscream's preferred speeds up in the air. He picked up the fleshling out of his jar, bound him, and exited his lab.  
The Air Commander carried the human through the Nemesis in his chassis, sighing in pleasure as he intermittently glimpsed the sky through windows. Finally, he reached the Nemesis's runway area and soared into the sky, seeing no point in transforming; he was only going for a fast flight round the ship. The man's life signs were soon distressed and Starscream's engines purred in satisfaction. His aim accomplished, the Decepticon confidently returned to his lab, and tipped the now-subdued human back into his jar and stared intently at the others who refused to meet his optics. Rolling his wings in a shrug, Starscream returned his attentions to the woman, after noting down a few interesting facts about the human's reactions to his flight.  
A few cycles later, the woman was nearing the end of her use but Starscream was smirking. Her screaming had been such fun. The mec- human man wasn't in much better condition. Starscream stared, transfixed, at the dying humans. He'd never seen them expire so slowly before. Normally he would simply rip them apart and throw them in the lab incinerator but, this time, he wanted to see what exactly happened when humans expired without anyone dealing them a finishing blow. Twenty breaths for the woman and twenty six breaths for the man later, they both were gone. The SIC spent the next three cycles finishing off and writing up the notes of what he had seen. The two humans, though definitely complete strangers, had rolled across the counter to each other before they had died to touch each other's bound hands.  
Starscream pondered this for quite a while and decided to have a flight to have a clear think about it. As he gracefully entered the sky kliks later, he forced himself to think past his instinctive disgust for the puny creatures so he could reason the whys of what had happened properly. The two dying humans had portrayed behaviour similar to that of he and his brothers when distressed. Was it just human nonsense and weakness or was it something else? He remembered reading on the internet that humans were herd/pack animals. That would explain it. But… would all humans react in that way or just some? Were there, to use a human term, lone wolves in this species or were they all just little more than a slightly advanced form of sheep? He thought of the two humans alone in their jars and how they had cried louder than the others. Did humans need companionship? In a comparable way to he, Starscream, needed to fly? These things were worth thinking about and would distract his processor from Megatron and the half-formed plots running around his CPU for overthrowing him. They'll keep until later. He had waited millions of solar cycles, what were a few more?  
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Megatron sat alone, staring at a map of Earth he was supposed to be studying. He couldn't help but wonder what his SIC was up to with the humans; the mech had looked positively gleeful at the Decepticon leader's gift. He had bowed- then, as quickly as he respectfully could, practically run like a sparkling to his lab. It had been… amusing. Perhaps the Commander could get used to swapping Starscream's screams for his giggling.  
Megatron leant back in his throne, thinking. Perhaps a visit was in order. He picked up some high-grade from his private store and swept silently through the Nemesis towards the brat's… his Air Commander's lab.  
Starscream stared at the humans in front of him, earlier good humour not in residence. If the squishies had similar bonds to those he had for his brothers- even for those they had never met- then should he be experimenting on them in the ways he did? There were seldom, even among the Autobots, on whom he would wish the pain of a broken bond. He did have fun playing with humans, yes, but…  
He stared down at them, and then finally constructed a little pen out of his equipment. He tipped them gently in and, when they had eventually shakily stood, asked them their designations.  
'Designations?' one of the women piped up uncertainly, 'you mean our names?'  
When Starscream nodded they- one by one and clearly terrified- answered. Starscream's helm fell to one side on his shoulder as he regarded the dishevelled bunch of fleshlings in front of him. Were they really simple insects? A memory flashed through his processor and he snarled. These beings may be sentient but they have more than enough capability and will to do harm. And not only to Megatron- though that was enough for Starscream to be revolted by humanity. He may hate the slagger but they had had no right. They had used the old mech for centuries for their own gain and, during a rare moment of companionship and with a high quantity of high-grade inside of them, the all-powerful Decepticon leader had admitted (while cursing the fleas) that their intrusions had hurt. But, again, they had not simply harmed Megatron because he was a threat. Starscream could understand that intention; Megatron was a malevolent force but even then the humans could not have known that so… then they had hurt him because they could, not because they regarded him a threat. They had found a helpless creature in the snow and exploited and abused it.  
Starscream's optics darkened. They had also tortured that little yellow Autobot. He himself could not give a slag for the mech, would destroy him in a spark-beat, but the tiny fool had been protecting the humans and they still treated him as they would Megatron. Clearly, their cruelty could match their compassion.  
So this good feeling only extended for similar beings then? Anything different must be regarded as less in their view. Look how they treated their own planet; it was almost exhausted of resources because of their sheer arrogance and inability to view other species as equals. The SIC did not view the humans as equals but he, like the rest of his race, were superior in ways which were quite clear to all. Humans, according to the internet, did not even treat other humans as their equals, proved time and time again through history.  
Starscream leaned back on his chair, perplexed. On the one hand these beings were sentient, he could admit they had some (if very little) potential, and some (all?) clearly had some form of bond between each other, which could be similar to the bond he had with his trinemates- just not as advanced, perhaps. On the other they were extremely primitive, weak, callous, and below him, his comrades and even the Autobots. He herded them back into their assigned jars with some human food and water and, with wings twitching and optics closed in thought, began to try to understand the riddles of human behaviour.  
This was interrupted by a sharp knock to his door. It could only be Megatron. The rest of the base would be in recharge and only his superior or his trinemates would dare disturb him while he was experimenting. Starscream allowed a small genuine smile as he crossed the room to his monitor, feeling his trinemates safe in slumber. Abruptly he sighed, raised his wings proudly, and moved to allow his leader entrance. He stood aside to let Megatron enter, then shut and locked the door.  
Oddly, the older mech had never harmed him here. It was one thing he was grateful for, that he was allowed one sanctuary, one completely safe place. Megatron turned to face his subordinate and stopped him from kneeling, indicating the high-grade he was carrying. Starscream's good humour returned. This could be a very enjoyable evening if nothing untoward happened or was said.  
Megatron settled himself on one of the lab chairs. After a brief pause, Starscream sat down beside him. They drank in what, for them, passed for companionable silence. Starscream cleared his vocaliser after a while and asked in as low a tone as he could manage, 'Would you like to go for a flight, My Lord?'  
Megatron paused a moment, staring at the Seeker, before nodding. They walked together through the corridors before eventually reaching an exit and ascending into the sky. Megatron acknowledged, at least to himself, that here was where Starscream exceeded him. No mech or femme could beat Starscream in the air. However, this once, Starscream seemed content to glide slowly through the sky and pleasure himself in it. If the Seeker ever flew like this, Megatron had never seen him do so: his SIC always cut through the air like a blade, and was gone sometimes before your optics had a chance to blink after he had struck. He watched Starscream as they began to circle the Nemesis then a thought struck him, as he recalled the last time he had watched the Seeker fly. 'Starscream.'  
'Mmhmm- I mean, yes Sir?'  
'Do you believe us to be cowards?' Starscream froze in mid-air, and stared at Megatron for an astrosecond before he got the reference. High-grade, especially his stash (the Seeker knew it was, none other tasted as good nor hit his system as quickly. After severe punishments Megatron sometimes in infrequent moments of mercy would allow him a sip to numb the pain a little, particularly if there was to be a raid or battle he was needed for shortly afterwards), always gets to me too fast. Why was Megatron dredging up such old words?'No Master, I do not.'  
'Then what did you mean by your statement?'  
'Nothing, Master,' Starscream sighed before catching Megatron's warning look. 'Truly I meant nothing by it. The battle was lost. The Fallen had fall- permanently offlined. I did not wish for us to join him, simply to leave.'  
Megatron stared at him, deciding that the mech was being truthful, but his curiosity was still not satisfied. 'You still have not told me why you used those words.'  
Starscream's helm bowed for a few astroseconds and he took a deep breath for courage. He tried to call on the effects of the energon in his system as he admitted quietly, 'I know you view me as a coward Master and perhaps… perhaps I am. If it is cowardice to flee a battlefield when all hope is lost then I am. Most definitely. I simply put into words what I… what I…' He trailed off for a moment, searching for the right words. 'What I thought needed to be said and in acknowledgement of your view of me. I do not believe you to be a coward Sir, but I needed you to think like one, like me, for only a moment so you would leave with me. So you wouldn't be offlined too.' He refrained from saying 'again'. Megatron did not need reminding about Starscream's failings at that moment.  
Megatron stared at his second in silent shock. 'Why would you care if I was?' He would deal with the rest in a moment.  
'You are almost a myth to most Decepticons, you must be aware of that Sir?' Starscream asked quietly. Megatron nodded and Starscream continued. 'When you were offlined I, and the few others that were left, kept your legacy safe for you. No others knew how it had happened and we, beyond the involvement of the All-Spark, didn't tell them. You remained that which all Decepticons believed you to be. A God who superseded the Fallen and all others. Who could only be killed by the All Spark itself which was practically destroyed in the process. If you had died once more, through different means, respect for you may have been lost; and even if you had been resurrected it would not have been the same. Your return enhanced your reputation- as I'm sure you know, as you seemed to have defeated even the All-Spark's power. The Decepticons need to believe in you, even in death, or our cause will be lost.'  
'You speak so passionately my dear Starscream,' the phrase was said without its usual malice, 'yet you hate me. You say I believe you a coward, well, I believe you despise me.'  
'Regardless of my personal feelings for you, I can acknowledge that the Decepticons need, if not your leadership, then a belief in you to function. Also, I… I admit I hate you at times. I'm sure it's quite visible so I see no harm in admitting it. However, not always My Liege, not always. For instance I did not hate you today.' In a small tone, Starscream thanked Megatron for his gifts. This was acknowledged with a nod and a gesture to continue. Starscream flew silently cursing himself and the high-grade for a klik, then: 'I don't always hate you,' he finished, in his own opinion, rather lamely.  
'Why do you attempt to usurp me then? You admit I am necessary for the Decepticon cause.' Megatron's curiosity was piqued.  
'Because of the times when I do hate you. When you beat me, threaten to ground me, remove me from my trinemates…' When you say I fail you. When I get so desperate I don't care if you offline me. '… How can I not hate you sometimes, Master? I respect you- is that not enough?'  
Megatron stared at him, optics unreadable, before inclining his helm. They flew back inside and made their way to Megatron's quarters for more high-grade. 'So my dear Starscream,' -again it was said quite kindly, almost affectionately- 'perhaps we may speak more about my proposal?'  
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Thanks for reading and please review :-).


	4. Grounded

Author's Notes- Hello again here is the fourth chapter. Special thanks to poisonouswaffle'n-stuffs, purrpix, Angel's Anthem, DJ Blacklite and Kitt SummerIsle for their reviews (I'm going to answer them after updating and try to reply to all future reviews) and Kibble Beast for betaing :-). Not a lot of Megatron in this chapter but he gets his chance next time and sorry if the tenses change where they shouldn't.  
Italics- Flashbacks/thoughts/memories.   
Warnings- Transformer swearing, trauma and torture (darker than previous chapters).  
Disclaimer- I do not own Transformers or its characters.  
Beta- The lovely Kibble Beast.  
All mistakes are my own.  
I hope you all enjoy it.  
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Chapter Four- Grounded  
Starscream lay in his berth, his two trinemates deep in recharge close to him, staring fixedly on the ceiling. High-energon tended to make him melancholy, especially when he had drank it in the company of a certain Decepticon Commander. It didn't affect him like this way always, just sometimes, when he'd had a little too much. At the moment a memory of a memory was flashing across his processor. Vivid, bright, and, above all, painful. Recharge would be a long time in coming, if it came at all.  
Megatron was dead. Starscream crashed brokenly into the Nemesis (much like his comrades had two solar cycles or so later), weakly crawled through the base to his lab, the Seeker's one true sanctuary, and crumpled to the floor. Despite himself, he began to sob, not because the old slagger was gone, well not just because of that. Megatron's last words to him before the order to attack had been that his spark-broken SIC had failed him. The condemnation rang throughout his processor and spark. Out of the countless jobs the Commander had left Starscream, he had only been unsuccessful with one. One Primus damn it! Then the idiot had gotten himself permanently offlined trying to do it himself. That caused a bitter smile to rise to his faceplates, at least he hadn't been the only one to fail. What got to the flier was that as Megatron had said, yet again, the Decepticon Commander had only acknowledged his faults not his successes; and those crushing words were the last he'd ever get from him. He stumbled into a corner and curled up as best he could to recharge, the memories of the few good times he'd had with the older mech haunting him, but the worst was demanding to be heard. As if in answer to his growing grief, confusion, and loneliness the third meta-cycle of his being SIC leaked through his processor. The first time Megatron had been disappointed in him, had called him a failure and a disgrace to the Decepticons (and he had still felt that way even this past orn the flier's spark wailed). The Seeker had been lucky not to lose his position, though that might have been preferable to-   
Skywarp twitched in recharge and made a distressed hunted sound. Thundercracker tensed up beside him. Starscream stroked the younger Seekers' wings, trying to soothe the nightmares. He wondered if he and his younger brothers were visualising the same thing. With their bond it was more than possible.  
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Millions of solar cycles before Megatron had been lost, even the first time to the terrible ice, the Commander and his SIC (whom had been promoted quickly) had gotten along well. For them to fall out was exceedingly rare, and when they did it was simply the stress of war, and easily forgiven and forgotten. They could chat amiably for cycles over anything from high-grade energon to war-tactics. Then had come that fateful raid all the way back on Cybertron.  
Starscream and his trine, with the rest of the army, invaded an Autobot hideout. A simple almost every orn occurrence, but this time it had gone so wrong. So spectacularly, hideously wrong. The three Seekers scouted ahead, as ordered, and were attacked. They skilfully, or at least the two eldest had, dodged out of the way. Skywarp was still young, too young really (they all were), but his trine would never have left him behind for anything or any mech. The blast that caught the youngest Seeker sent him tumbling gracelessly through the sky. Starscream and Thundercracker watched in horror, unable to get to their baby brother without getting shot themselves, as Skywarp hit the ground and was beset upon by Autobots.  
Enraged, the two Seekers disregarded the threat and dived down to rescue their third but Megatron's voice came coolly through the com-link. Leave him.  
But Sir- Starscream began pleadingly.  
I said leave him. The mission must not be jeopardised and only the strongest are allowed to survive in my ranks.   
Thundercracker froze in the air for half an astrosecond, watching his eldest brother, and then looking down at his youngest who was trying and failing, panicking, to get into the air and away from the threat. The SIC took a deep intake and then they exchanged a glance and Starscream decisively nodded. They continued down ignoring their leader's furious voice through the com-link. The order had not been a private one; apparently Megatron was trying to teach his army a lesson, so everyone knew of the Seekers' defiance. Especially that of the SIC. You think you'll get away with defying me Starscream? You'll pay for this; I'll have your wings, your helm-.The ranting went on and was firmly ignored.  
Between the time Skywarp had fallen and the time his brothers had reached him, blasting every Autobot foolish enough to come near, it had only been astroseconds. A short space of time, yes, but incredibly destructive. Not just to Skywarp's battered frame but to the relationship of Megatron and Starscream as well. As Thundercracker picked Skywarp up and cradled him as he had done when the Seekers were sparklings (Skywarp had always, as the last to hatch, been a little smaller than the other two), Starscream had only a moment to feel relieved before an unfamiliar emotion had settled over him. He had never been frightened of Megatron before. Not truly.  
Together they rose into the sky to face the older mech. The SIC fumbled for an excuse and resolved to rely on the positive that he and Thundercracker- who was now clutching Skywarp protectively to his chassis and it seemed like his faceplates were daring Unicron and Primus themselves to try and take his wounded brother from him- had destroyed many Autobots. He began to make his way to Megatron and made optic-contact with him for just a moment before the inconceivable happened.   
Their own side shot them down. On Megatron's orders.  
The others quietened. If they were somehow sharing these thoughts with Starscream this would be expected. The youngest Seeker remained in stasis for all that had happened next and TC had been offline for most of it. The SIC watched over his two brothers for a few kliks before he was again swallowed up by his past.  
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Megatron was almost as good as his word when his Command Trine had been hauled to his throne-room. Skywarp was removed from the other two and locked away. They would have to earn the freedom, earn the sky, for the critically wounded Seeker. Starscream had learnt this after he had woken to find that he and Thundercracker were bound to the floor. He looked up with pleading optics at the indifferent Commander. Thundercracker had been given a sedative to keep him temporarily offline. The Commander clearly wanted these moments to be private.  
'So my dear Starscream,'- it was the first time Megatron had ever said that to him, sneered it at him, and, for some reason, it was spark-crushing- 'what am I to do with a foolish piece of scrap metal such as you?' Without meaning to Starscream's optics (one partially shattered) were drawn, concerned, to Thundercracker. 'Look at me, you useless poor excuse for a mech!' Starscream quickly averted his gaze from his brother and returned them to Megatron. The Commander gracefully descended the throne steps to get up close to Starscream's terrified optics. He paused, considering, and then slapped Starscream viciously across his faceplates, raking his claws through the metal as he did so. 'You never defy me Seeker, is that clear?'  
'Master, what do you wish us-?' The unfortunate undesignated mech that appeared in the doorway was cut short by a fatal blast from Megatron's cannon. Megatron looked down at Starscream with one optic ridge raised. The SIC gulped and nodded, he understood the message, the warning.   
'You'll be punished, my dear Starscream, but not deactivated I assure you.' The promise did nothing to reassure the flier due to the callous look in Megatron's optics and he nodded resignedly in response. He understood the ramifications of what he had done and could only hope in vain that his Commander would show him mercy. 'You and Thundercracker will be, separately, grounded for a meta-cycle. If you make it through then I will have Skywarp fixed and you restored to your posts.'  
Starscream felt a remnant of the horror that had flashed through his entire frame at that moment. Without thinking, he quickly glanced back down to Thundercracker, as he had once more being staring at the pale ceiling. They're fine he was quick to reassure himself. The bond was sparkling between them, luxuriating in them being together. All was content but Starscream knew he'd have to finish the memory if any hope of recharge was to be forthcoming. Perhaps happier memories would come to him when he was done, for him to recharge with.  
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'Please My Liege it wasn't his doing. He was obeying my orders. Please, Master, please!' Megatron stared down at him and had seemed about to say something when Starscream rushed on, trying not to think seriously about what he was about to offer. 'Please Sir, I'll do two meta-cycles, let me take his punishment. He was my responsibility My Lord; his actions were my fault, please!' Megatron's optics became unreadable and after a few agonising kliks he nodded sharply.  
'Fine.' He threw the Seeker over his shoulder and marched down to the cells normally reserved for Autobot prisoners. 'You're on starvation rations so don't waste what you're given. You are a disgrace Starscream to all we stand for and with your failure and disobedience you are lucky I let you live,' the Commander hissed before chaining the placid Seeker down. 'Feel free to scream my little star, not even your precious trine is coming to help you this time.' He ripped off the Seeker's wings and Starscream howled, living up to his name, his frame convulsing in agony. The Commander then, mockingly, kissed Starscream on the cheek, imitating how mechs and femmes would kiss their sparklings when tucking them into their berths, then swept out the door chuckling coldly.  
What followed were the worst two meta-cycles in his existence. Starved and confined, he quickly deteriorated into delirium and insanity. It was three orns before a small cube of energon materialised beside him where he was bound to the floor. There was just enough give in the chains to allow him to reach the cube and drink it, but not comfortably. He couldn't help but waste it, it was so small and Primus knew he needed it. Within the three following orns before his next cube the grounded Seeker kept his optics continuously shut so he could visualise the sky in his helm. It served to stave off the insanity for that time, but not afterwards. After his second glass he couldn't go into recharge or even offline his optics. He reasoned dumbly with his scientist's processor that something must have been put in his drink. Before even the next energon cube had come, Starscream was locked inside his own private version of the Pit, whispering incoherent nonsense and believing he could still feel his wings fluttering against restraints.  
After the first meta-cycle, an unknown mech came into his cell to undo his bindings. Apparently Megatron didn't deem him an escape-risk now. The Commander was right in his assumption. Though the Seeker's pain making itself heard ranged from his well-known shrieks (even those held a tint of something… dark and ugly… and had never been heard before or since holding that blemish, that horrible twist on the Seeker's normal-sounding shrieks of rage or indignation) to barely audible insane whisperings, Starscream never cried out for Megatron or for his punishment to end. He bore it and he did so alone, reluctantly barring the link between Thundercracker and himself when he sensed his middle brother come back online, and was grateful when he could think clearly afterwards that Skywarp remained in stasis. The two elders could barely deal with it; it would have destroyed their beloved brother.  
When the punishment ended, Starscream was a shell of what he had been; his sanity seemingly unrecoverable and he clung to himself shaking in the corner of the cell that he had occupied for two decacycles. His optics hunted the room wildly for the sky. Megatron came to get him and, without a word on entering the cell and without Starscream even comprehending he was there, injected something into Starscream's back armour. The Seeker felt blessed recharge for the first time in almost two meta-cycles and collapsed in the older mech's secure grip.   
He awoke, outside, between Megatron's legs with his helm resting on one of the Commander's thighs and his systems telling him that all, at least physically, was right again. He really had wings fluttering behind him now not just phantom ones. He sighed in relief and his processor began to slowly piece itself together again. 'You'll never do that again will you, Starscream?' The completely exhausted Seeker nodded without registering the tone the question was spoken in, whether it was said threateningly or kindly the SIC could not say, not then nor later.   
A small amount of sanity returned with the sky and more was recovered when Megatron gave him permission to take flight. Still more had been replaced with the reunion of he and his trinemates. Skywarp was repaired but confused and his brothers never did tell him everything and anyone who tried would mysteriously disappear. It was funny how quick bots could learn to keep their mouths shut. Thundercracker looked as exhausted as the Air Commander was and the three spent several orns wrapped in each other's wings and larking about (or training as they had told Megatron) in the sky. For solar cycles afterwards the two eldest kept their youngest out of the frontline, recommending him for surveillance where he could put his warping powers to use and being extra protective of him when they did have to fight. However, despite everything Starscream had never been entirely the same, not ever. Only with his trine and occasionally, bizarrely, the Decepticon Commander was he something akin to his old self. But the experience had made him colder, crueller, and darkened his spark and processor perhaps irrevocably.  
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Starscream slumped and wrapped his wings as best he could around his brothers. He would never admit it but he knew he wasn't entirely… sane. A Seeker who had been grounded (the SIC shuddered) for that long just couldn't be. However, he was not broken as others would have been and still had the strength of mind and frame, and the will and spark, to reclaim his leadership of the Seekers and to take back his role of SIC to the Decepticon Army. After those two meta-cycles he had been indeed restored to his posts, but… the easy camaraderie and friendship between he and Megatron had vanished in the blink of an optic. It had been clear that after the punishment, that the Commander expected things to return to what they had been. He had forgiven, and seemingly forgotten, why couldn't Starscream do the same? Like all those times before? Megatron couldn't seem to conceive what he had done to the young mech who had once idolised and all but worshipped him. That he had pushed too far and taken too much. To have expected instantaneously that any malice Starscream had developed in his confinement to just fade was unfeasible, impossible.  
The SIC knew that was the origins of his hatred for the older mech but this feeling was continuously challenged by his memories of happier times, both before and even since then. Tonight had been quite enjoyable if he was honest, but their talks of the finer points of the Decepticon Commander's proposal, which they had both agreed to confirm when they woke as they would be more sober, had brought these memories to the forefront of his processor to combat the better times they had spoken of this evening.  
After that first time Megatron wouldn't often threaten to ground his SIC and when he did he normally ended up apologising, never verbally (Megatron never said he was sorry to any mech or femme), but in his own way. He could admit that his leader had never grounded him again. Though this was probably because of by most accounts the Decepticon army had not operated well without him as the other Seekers refused, even under threat of being grounded themselves, to perform any action for Megatron while Starscream was confined. Even the Seekers he had known to have hated him put on a united front with the others for him. Proof that Seekers stood by each other over and above all others. Perhaps Megatron had learnt, as Starscream had, the hard way the consequences of his actions. All bots, both Decepticon and Autobot, knew that the Decepticons had and needed to retain their domination of the air. During those two meta-cycles the Autobots had made gains they had not had since before the war even started. No, Megatron never grounded a Seeker again, he just killed them.  
Starscream slipped from his berth, gently shushing Skywarp who reached for him, and found out his old box. He'd had it almost from a hatchling and, with a cube of his own high-grade (though not of the same calibre of Megatron's, it suited his purpose) in servo; he sat down to have a look. There were several images on various datapads of he with Skyfire, a young Perceptor before they chose different factions, his trinemates, and a younger him staring, smiling back at him from Megatron's right side. According to Megatron there was a possibility they could both have that easy relationship back. The older mech had pointed out, quite rightly, that when they got along favourably even before Starscream was made SIC and Air Commander, the war had run almost without hitch. Anything they had wanted had been theirs, the Fallen was gone and couldn't interfere in their partnership (if you could call what they had between them, considering their ranks, a partnership), and so they could have all they wanted whether that be Earth's resources or the destruction of Prime. Starscream remembered he had agreed to think hard on it before- his wings rose uneasily- before what? He couldn't remember what had happened between his agreement and being on his berth.  
How the slag did I get here?  
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Hope you all liked it.


	5. Devotion

Author's Notes- Hello again here is the fifth chapter. Special thanks to poisonouswaffle'n-stuffs, Jessie07 , Angel's Anthem, Confuzzled-Neko and Kitt SummerIsle for their reviews and Kibble Beast for betaing :-). Sorry again if the tenses change where they shouldn't.  
Italics- Flashbacks/thoughts/memories.  
Warnings- Transformer swearing, drunkeness, mentions of the events in Grounded.  
Disclaimer- I do not own Transformers or its characters.  
Beta- The lovely Kibble Beast.  
All mistakes are my own.  
I hope you all enjoy it.  
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Chapter Five- Devotion  
Megatron stared at his over energised Seeker with amusement bordering on hilarity, his engines rumbling loudly as he tried not to laugh. His flier was sprawled out on his berth room floor, giggling to himself. This was what he had wanted, an over energised Starscream was a loose-glossaed Starscream. Granted he'd been more than honest earlier but the Commander could tell he was holding something back probably in an attempt to preserve his own frame. For the moment he was loath to ruin their good spirits and took a sip of his own high grade energon to allow Starscream and himself a little bit longer. The Seeker must have known that Megatron had ulterior motives when he kept refilling his SIC's cube but hadn't said anything. Not quite ready to risk another beating. 'Starscream?'  
Starscream went silent and stared blearily up at him. Megatron patted the seat beside him and the flier pulled himself up awkwardly and crawled across the floor and up into the seat. The Seeker looked at him curiously but didn't speak. When the Commander tried to refill Starscream's cube this time, his Seeker tentatively stopped his servo. 'Th-thank you, My Lord,' he hiccupped, 'but I've got to train with the otherssss tomor-tomorrow and I think I've given them eeee-enough of an advantagage- sorry advantigi- advan advan, of a-' he cackled helplessly and gave up.  
The Commander smirked for a moment but then his demeanour darkened. Starscream would normally have noticed this change in mood instantly but, considering his state, missed it completely.  
'So my dear Starscream…' This caught the flier's attention. 'Do you remember what we've been discussing?'  
'Yesss, I'll- I'll think about it.' His SIC nodded slowly.  
'Just as long as you do.' The Seeker sobered slightly as the calm atmosphere faded, his clouded processor wondered what he'd said to anger Megatron this time, but then the Commander visibly shook himself and his mood seemed to improve.  
Soon, the Air Commander had once again relaxed, and his superior coaxed him into drinking a couple more cubes. Megatron knew that after a few too many cubes of high grade energon Starscream would go through two stages. In his first stage he would become increasingly jovial but in the second this good mood would deteriorate into a sometimes quite extreme depression. It was a small glitch in his programming- his memory chips striking on a traumatic past event then replaying it on a continuous loop while the flier was overcharged, getting more vivid with each pass- and it was cruel to deliberately push him into this area of thinking but, right now, it was necessary. He had to know what went on in the back of Starscream's processor, what might hinder the objective of regaining his loyal SIC.  
As the Commander predicted, Starscream's giggling after a while changed into something more sinister. The Seeker stared, whispering incoherently, at the wall opposite him. His wings suddenly flicking in distress. Megatron watched avidly as Starscream's optics deepened, dark thoughts (memories?) clearly flashing through his processor, and pushed forward the Seeker's refilled cube. Starscream picked it up and drank it down without so much as a glance at it or his Commander.  
'Why'd you leave me?' The sudden question threw Megatron off guard and he opened his mouth to ask what the flier meant when Starscream spoke again. 'Never left you, couldn't have left him. You slagger, do you hate me now? I fragging hate you... Ah frag… no I don't, not really. Just lonely, miss the sky. Primus how much longer? It can't be that much longer can it? I know I've done bad things but… Can't touch the bond I can't, mustn't hurt them, I mustn't…' Starscream cut off with a sudden sob.  
So that was the memory that Starscream had been captured by this time, of when he had been grounded, Megatron was sure of it and it was going to be problematic. In the next cube, the Commander slipped in a strong sedative. Five kliks later he was carrying a peacefully recharging Seeker through the Nemesis to his SIC's own quarters. Starscream had lived a long time and Megatron knew there were things that haunted the Seeker. The grounding may have been the worst memory that the Seeker carried around but it was not by far the only one that gave the younger mech nightmares and caused him pain. However, if this issue was in some way resolved, then the other smaller past grievances that the flier had suffered at the other mech's servos might be sorted out as well.  
It would require time and a great deal of planning but Megatron was sure he could do it. Starscream had agreed to think about a truce between them after all, that was promising. The Commander slipped silently into his second's berth room (it was rather foolish of Starscream to believe Megatron didn't know his codes, that the Decepticon Commander didn't know him well enough). It was possible, quite likely actually and equally undesirable, that Starscream would wake up to the memory crystal clear in his processor, but hopefully he wouldn't recall the condition he had been in before the Decepticon Lord had sedated him.  
He paused when he noticed the Seeker's two trinemates in his berth and jealousy of the loyalty his flier showed them welled up in him. The large mech knew to whom Starscream's allegiance lay with and it wasn't him. Earlier, he had wanted to leave Megatron's company for the benefit of these two pieces of scrap. Angered once more, the Commander tightened his grip on the Seeker in his arms, but forced himself to calm down when the action caused his SIC to stir. Gently, Megatron slid Starscream into his berth beside his brothers and left.  
The older mech walked silently through his home back to his quarters. It hadn't taken him long to see that Starscream wasn't just going to forgive him this time when he had avoided his superior's company. At the time he couldn't understand it, he had struck the Seeker before in temper, but Starscream had always had a forgiving smile and a kind word for him. Whenever they were together after Starscream had been released the other mech had kept himself from meeting Megatron's optics and kept a deferential tone but despite this apparently submissive behaviour the Seeker's attitude had changed. He was more critical, disrespectful and borderline treasonous.  
Megatron, despite himself, developed a new respect for the Seeker. He had taken a severe punishment and asked for no reprieve or mercy. However, he had quickly grown tired of Starscream's insolence (brat should have been grateful I let him live) and, rather than punish him again and possibly make the changes in his SIC permanent, Megatron had decided to research into Seekers; he knew that being grounded for a Seeker was bad but just how bad was it? When he had retrieved Starscream from his cell it was obvious that the flier was severely distressed and he had tried to be kind, even soothing, but whether his SIC had registered it was another matter entirely. The Air Commander had seemed… vacant initially. Perhaps he should have carried the reassuring behaviour on for longer? Megatron sighed and rubbed his faceplates with a servo. He had had far more patience then and valued Starscream's friendship so he studied many texts over a period of meta-cycles. Primus help him, he had even summoned Skywarp to him to question the youngest Seeker about being in his Air Commander's trine.  
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The youngest was the easiest to intimidate and he swore the smaller mech to secrecy. The Commander wanted to see how truthful the texts he had read were and specifics about Starscream's relationship with his brothers. No one knew his SIC better than Skywarp and Thundercracker so perhaps Skywarp could give him an insight into Starscream's processor. Most other mechs would have felt sympathy for the clearly terrified Seeker kneeling, cowering, at his pedes. Megatron didn't. Skywarp's incompetence had cost him more than simply Starscream's companionship (though that had been more than enough) but battles the Decepticons should have won even if they had been recharging at the time, and had jeopardised the loyalty of the Seekers to the cause.  
Forcing down the urge to destroy the other mech, Megatron half-reluctantly asked his first question. 'If I were to ground you Seeker…,' he ignored Skywarp's increased shaking, 'for say a meta-cycle, how would you be affected by it?'  
Skywarp paused for a klik then said in a small voice when Megatron was about to prompt him, 'I… I would say I'd go mad Sire. Seekers need the sky to stay sane, so we need to fly- perhaps, at the very very least, twice a week, and those would have to be long flights Master.' He was frightened of Megatron but hated him for what he had heard the tyrant had done to his older brothers; Starscream had ordered him not to do anything to provoke the Decepticon Lord, though, so he kept his tone as respectful as he could.  
'What about two meta-cycles?'  
'I would have deactivated myself by then Master.' The youngest member of the Command Trine replied completely earnestly.  
'You're sure?' Megatron asked, voice tinged with disbelief.  
'Positive Sire, I'm quite young but mechs older than myself have been known to permanently offline themselves a decacycle into being grounded, sometimes even earlier My Lord.'  
'I see.' Megatron murmured, foreboding settling into his processor. 'If I were to ground Thundercracker would you, as his trinemate, be affected?'  
'I doubt I would be allowed to Master,' when Megatron's optics narrowed, Skywarp hurried to elaborate, 'as Thundercracker is older than me he can cut our link Sir. Also, as Starscream is older still, he could cut the link off to both Thundercracker and me, but could not cut the link off between TC and me, despite being older. I think that I would not be allowed to feel them suffering, as it is they normally cut me off from them if they are hurt My Lord. However if the link was not cut off, even if I was flying, I'd still feel like I was grounded too. Though they would also feel the sky through me and it would help them.'  
Megatron had gone on to ask several more questions and it was the last one before he dismissed Skywarp that stuck in his processor. 'If things are as you say, then Starscream would be a gibbering wreck, you and Thundercracker as well. How then is he not insane?'  
The Decepticon Commander watched Skywarp take a few intakes in an attempt to comfort himself and wondered if the other two were speaking to him through the link. 'Starscream is… is stronger than most Sire but even he has not been completely unaffected by it…' Again Skywarp paused then, with venom firmly contained, murmured, 'he was able, through his need as the eldest and Trine Leader to protect Thundercracker and me Sir, to bear it. But, though they try to hide it from me, Starscream has been changed Master.'  
'Changed?'  
'Yes Sir. Still as strong, as intelligent and capable, but he thinks and feels differently now.' Somehow Megatron knew the Seeker was not referring to Starscream's Decepticon beliefs and dismissed Skywarp back to his trine.  
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The unspoken word that he had heard in Skywarp's voice nagged at him. The fact that Starscream might have been permanently damaged by his experience was a worrying thought. The Decepticon Commander kept a careful optic on his SIC afterwards but had noticed nothing bar an increase in cruelty in his Seeker (and the insolence which Megatron began to try and beat out of his second before much time had passed). This change, to Megatron, had been positive; it reaffirmed Starscream's dedication to the Decepticons. Although, he had always believed that the bond Seeker trines had was a bit too Autobot for his taste, there was no way to avoid it, Seekers needed a trine and that was it.  
Through his research, Megatron learnt most of the information about Seekers that was available, for example how to fix their wings, knowledge he'd put to good use over the millennia. There was also the knowledge that, should a trine be together long enough then the death of one could and probably would result in the death of the other two as well. Starscream may well have told him that himself once actually but the Commander had forgotten. After some battle or another… one of his excuses. However, Seekers had their secrets that no non-Seeker was ever allowed to know. Skywarp had offered the information his Commander required, and had seemed to give a lot of detail, but he had not broken any Seeker Law. He had given away no secrets not even for his Leader. Nothing he had said would not have been given the all clear by Starscream beforehand. Megatron chuckled quietly at his second's mistrustful actions. Starscream was, without doubt and even for his faults, a Decepticon through and through. The Decepticon Commander could understand Starscream's need to protect his trine, he didn't like it, but he had learnt enough to know there was no changing it so he had accepted it. Still… it irritated him.  
Now would it be beneficial or harmful to talk to his second about his grounding? What other resentments did Starscream carefully hide? Was the flier even thinking seriously about this or was he attempting to manipulate the older mech? The thought of the Air Commander laughing at him behind his back made him snarl, but almost immediately he sighed. Perhaps Starscream had a point when he claimed his leader overemphasised his faults. This was going to be more difficult than he originally thought.  
Megatron settled in his quarters and decided to have one more cube of high-grade before he recharged. Again, he was amused by the antics of his second while over energised. It was perhaps the only time he let his guard completely down with the Decepticon Commander. Even if his SIC was slightly insane, it would be hypocritical of Megatron to judge him for it. After so long in the ice and his death and resurrection he could hardly claim to be completely sound of processor himself. Perhaps you needed a tinge of insanity to have a senior position in the Decepticons? The Commander laughed, perhaps he should make it compulsory. He only laughed harder when a flash crossed his processor; he and Optimus crashing through an office embroiled in battle, a sign briefly in the corner of his optic:  
YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE INSANE TO WORK HERE BUT IT HELPS!  
Now almost as helpless as Starscream was earlier he stumbled to his berth where he attempted to recharge. His processor, after he had calmed down somewhat, turned to his Seeker. Then Megatron did what Megatron did best: began to plot.  
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Thanks for reading and I hope you liked it. Please review :-).


	6. The Fallen and the Only Seeker Hatchling

Author's Notes- Hello again here is the sixth chapter. Special thanks to Jessie07, Iwanita and Kitt SummerIsle for their reviews, to everyone who favourited and alerted this story and Kibble Beast for betaing :-). Sorry again if the tenses change where they shouldn't.  
Italics- Flashbacks/thoughts/memories.   
Warnings- Transformer swearing and the deaths/murder of hatchlings described in a flashback.  
Disclaimer- I do not own Transformers or its characters.  
Beta- The lovely Kibble Beast.  
All mistakes are my own.  
I hope you all enjoy it.  
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Chapter Six- The Fallen and the Only Seeker Hatchling  
Starscream sat at his lab desk, ignoring the remaining humans behind him, and chittered encouragingly at a five-orn old Seeker hatchling. He would allow the tiny mech to walk off the edge of the table to get used to the sensation of falling and would catch him before the little one could hit the floor. The two of them had been doing this for about a cycle and the hatchling was staying in the air a little longer each time. The adult Seeker gently caught the baby in his servos and clutched it to his chassis making soft praising sounds, crooning to it. 'Well done, I'll take you for your first proper flight soon.' The hatchling giggled and gently butted its helm into Starscream's chassis, before nuzzling it.  
Despite his apparent happiness- and he was happy, he always was when he was watching or teaching a little Seeker to learn to fly, giving them freedom ground mechs could only dream of- the SIC was worried. This little one was the only hatchlingSeeker to have survived, and therefore had no trine. This would be alright for a short while but unless the adult Seeker could come up with a solution in that time, the small flier in his servos would have to be deactivated and Starscream, as head of the Seekers, would have to be the one to do it. Staring at the little mech who was gently cooing at him and twitching its wings, Starscream tried ineffectually to harden his spark. What if I can't do it? I couldn't possibly give him to Megatron. He had an awful image of the large silver mech ripping this little hatchling in half after tearing its wings off (he had seen what had happened to Jazz and in the moment of the Autobot's death, before the battle had taken the Seeker's attention, had felt a small kinship with him. The Seeker also knew what it was like to be held aloft and helpless in that unforgiving grip). No. The Air Commander would not allow that to happen.  
The hatchling stared at him curiously, perhaps sensing his distress, and chirruped unhappily. 'Hush little one, hush. It will all be fine you have my word on it.' The hatchling's wings fluttered and suddenly the small mech's thrusters went off. Starscream chuckled and let the little Seeker go, watching it stay in the air for a couple of kliks before losing control and tumbling down with a frightened cry. The SIC scooped it out of the air and rubbed it against his faceplates, spark exulting in that moment. 'Good boy, I'm proud of you. You'll be catching me in the air soon.'  
'I doubt that.'  
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Be nice. Megatron stood outside Starscream's lab awkwardly, be nice, a summarised version of Soundwave's advice repeating itself in his processor like a mantra. He just knew that Optimus would pull something like this off effortlessly. The Autobot Commander's mechs and femmes all but worshipped him, died for him almost with smiles on their faceplates. Why is this so hard? It's just Starscream for Primus's sake. Perhaps he could imitate his brother? He didn't have to be exactly like the Autobot…  
With a new resolve the Decepticon Commander steeled himself and entered his Seeker's domain.  
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Starscream nearly dropped the hatchling in shock and turned around; wings raised and engines churning in surprise to a smirking Megatron. Pit. How long as he been there? The SIC could have hit himself when he remembered he hadn't turned his security measures on (he did not allow them to come on automatically ever since an unfortunate incident with Skywarp) so there had been no warning when the larger mech entered, and of course his superior would know about the hatchling. Megatron crossed the lab in short measured strides until he was directly in front of his Seeker, deciding on the way to avoid bringing up the past right now.  
It could wait for a while couldn't it? He didn't know how he was going to broach the topic yet anyway…  
Starscream knelt gracefully, slipping the new flier into his chassis protectively as he did so. Megatron noticed and sighed. 'You don't have long with that one do you?'  
Starscream's optics shuttered, he always forgot how much the larger mech knew about Seekers, and said as much to himself as to Megatron, 'no Sir, but nothing is definite yet.'  
'Starscream,' the Seeker always felt a bit nervous when his Commander was being gentle, it hardly ever boded well for him in much the same way as the calm before a fierce storm, 'I know you understand what would be expected of you.'  
The Seeker gritted out a 'yes, sir' before changing the temperature in his chassis slightly to make the small mech in there comfortable and encourage it to go into recharge. Megatron put, what the SIC thought was intended to be, a comforting servo on his shoulder plates and squeezed lightly. 'I'm not trying to be cruel, Starscream, you know that.'  
Starscream slumped a little and nodded, it was true, Megatron was never callous towards hatchlings or sparklings in front of him, it was one concession the Commander gave his Seeker that was very appreciated after what The Fallen had made him do. 'Sorry, Master.' The Decepticon Commander waved a dismissive servo and encouraged the Seeker to sit beside him.  
'Let him out then, let me have a look at him.' The SIC gently removed the dozing silver mech from his chassis and put him in Megatron's waiting servos. The older mech held the hatchling, cupping his servos to support the tiny frame. 'How…?' The question trailed off, the tyrant unsure exactly what to ask but wishing to show an interest.  
'His trinemates died before their link had developed fully. It is possible for him to survive but… he will need new trinemates soon or he will go insane. A Seeker cannot be alone for long in his or her own mind, as you know My Lord, or irreparable damage will be done. The good thing is the link was broken early so, if he survives, then he should suffer no lasting pain or effects. The link fully forms after a single orn after all three have hatched… so if the link had been broken now there would be no helping him. The bad thing…'  
'… Is that there are no other trines which could currently accept him-' Megatron paused for a moment, remembering his return. 'Was I responsible?'  
'No, no Sir. One hatchling was also the last of a trine and the other was not a Seeker. Between the pair of us we probably did them both a mercy. '  
Starscream was beginning to feel wretched. He didn't want to have to do it again, never again. There was a massive difference, at least to the Seeker perhaps his Commander would feel differently, between killing an adult Autobot and killing a hatchling, even if said hatchling was also of the opposite faction. Their sparks were so small and vulnerable… The SIC shuddered and tried to get a grip on himself, he could not allow Megatron to see him as weak and the thought of losing his standing was unbearable. Even so, he made a vow to himself to do as much as he could for the little Seeker, and if he had to end the little mech he would do it in the sky, quickly and painlessly.  
Starscream thought for a moment then, after working up the nerve, he asked 'Megatron?'  
The large silver mech looked up at his name and stared into his Seeker's optics. Starscream slid back onto his knees and murmured, 'I would like to ask a request?' If he asked for this now and Megatron swore he would do it, the Seeker would have some security in the future. Enough to ease his processor of one worry he had anyway.  
'Go ahead.'  
'My Lord, should I fail in my duty and my trinemates die, would you end me?'  
Megatron stared at him for a few kliks before beckoning him to get up. Starscream pulled himself up and back into his seat, waiting.  
'Your death would be…'  
'Unbearably long and painful Master. Our link has existed too long for me to be able to join another trine. Should the others deactivate it would be mean my termination no matter what.' It pained the SIC to talk about it but he had to know, had to know that he wouldn't be just left to suffer, that someone would have the mercy to finish it all for him should the worst happen. 'Please Master? Megatron?'  
The Decepticon Commander gently laid the still recharging hatchling on the desk and held out his servo. Starscream froze for an astrosecond then shook it. 'It'll be as quick and as painless as I can make it,' Megatron swore.  
'Thank you, Sir.' The Seeker gave a relieved smile and relaxed back in his seat. Megatron nodded and their attention was returned to the hatchling that was opening up bleary optics to stare at the two adult mechs above it. It chirruped quietly and stretched a little, then quickly moved into Starscream's waiting servo, cowering from Megatron. The adult Seeker shushed the little one and placed it carefully back into his Commander's palm. The hatchling stared up at the giant mech and chirruped questioningly, turning it's gaze to Starscream. The older Seeker smiled and murmured, 'this is Megatron, our leader.'  
The hatchling cooed quietly then led down and returned to his recharge. Megatron raised his optic ridges in amusement and almost disbelief. 'You understood it?'  
'Yes Sir, it's in my programming.' (It was one of the reasons the Fallen had used him to care for the hatchlings). Megatron chuckled, engines rumbling in glee and Starscream grimaced. I'll never live this down.  
'Relax, your secret's safe with me.' The Commander had a playful look in his optics he seldom got and the Seeker couldn't help but start laughing along with him. They looked down as the little hatchling yawned and raised its helm.  
'I hope you'll forgive me when I say this Sir, but I'm glad the Fallen is gone, serving him was the Pit.'  
'And serving me isn't?' Starscream smiled, relieved he'd judged Megatron's mood right. Sometimes the older mech wouldn't hear a word against the Fallen, others he would gladly disparage the slagger. It would have been painful if he had misjudged.  
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The SIC despised the Fallen even more than he sometimes had done Megatron when the older mech was still active. At least the Commander had never ordered him to kill Seeker hatchlings. At first he thought that the thin mech was joking when he pointed at the youngsters and ordered their destruction and only just managed to contain his rage when the elder assured him he wasn't. It took the threat to ground his trinemates to make him agree and he felt violently ill as he removed the handful of small Seekers from the Fallen's presence. He flew above the Nemesis with the little ones in his chassis and thought that the three could have made a new trine, but their new despised leader wouldn't accept it. 'If their trinemates weren't strong enough to survive then these trines was clearly corrupt with weakness and that corruption cannot be allowed to infect the ranks,' had been the Fallen's argument and no amount of Starscream's manipulation or pleading had worked. As gently as he could he cradled the three in his servos and flew them around, showing them a small amount of space and some of Earth, using as much energon as he dared. While they were distracted staring at a mountain he whispered he was sorry and, as mercifully as he could, extinguished their sparks. Landing on the mountain he buried them together and returned to the comfort his trinemates could offer him. Those three had not been the last. He could have let them starve he supposed but… the Seeker hadn't wanted them to suffer.   
After the failure in Egypt Starscream worked up the nerve to tell Megatron, after persistent questioning as to why the SIC didn't seem upset that the Decepticons had lost the Fallen, and in one of his rants, what he had been made to do. Oddly, the Decepticon Commander had let the matter be since then.   
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Starscream smirked in answer to Megatron's question. 'You're trying to catch me out. That's not very nice, my dear leader.'  
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When Megatron returned Starscream was, genuinely, pleased. Better the devil you know than the devil you don't, he'd rather have the Commander around than the thin old mech. The SIC knew that Megatron would want to reassert his dominance over his Air Commander and Starscream braced himself for it as he rounded the corner to greet the older mech. Anything he said, the Air Commander knew, would be taken as a challenge so beyond the preliminaries (he knelt and extended welcome) he hadn't bothered to restrain himself as much as perhaps he should have done. The strange way Megatron greeted him almost made him chuckle and, as it had been intended, had caused him to drop his guard a little.  
The Commander could be as manipulative as his SIC when he wanted to be.   
The Air Commander had been more than half expecting to be struck but panicked when his Leader slammed him into the hatchling pods. They only lost two, thank Primus, and it was true that the Seeker's two trinemates had already been lost.   
Being put back in his place didn't bother the flier half as much as the damage to the little ones had. The Decepticon Commander administered a few more blows before leaving him crumpled with the dying hatchlings. Resentment filled the SIC but he forced it down and focussed on the welcome fact that Megatron was back and the silver mech could deal with the Fallen. His leader would take the unbearable weight off his shoulders, and he could get used to being a 'stress-relief' again in return.  
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Megatron chuckled and shrugged before his faceplates darkened, 'I haven't had a workout in a while.'  
Starscream unconsciously leaned back in his chair to put more distance between the two of them, then giggled slightly in relief when his Commander laughed in amusement.  
'That really wasn't very nice Master,' the SIC chided gently.  
'What can I say? You're such fun to play with and…,' the Seeker blinked and was pinned to the desk by his throat, 'I don't have to be nice if I don't want to, especially with you.'  
The Seeker forced himself not to cycle his optics at the unnecessary display of strength and murmured, simpering, 'no Master, I know.' Megatron straightened, pulled his Air Commander to his pedes, and dusted his second down.  
'Just see you don't forget it,' the large mech stated and sat back down, scooping up the still recharging hatchling from the desk as he did so. The Seeker breathed a sigh of relief when his optics lit upon the small flier. He had wondered what Megatron had done with him. 'Have you given him a designation yet?'  
'No Sir, I'll give him one when I know he'll survive,' Starscream answered as if he hadn't been struggling for air not astroseconds before. He knew by now when the older mech was playing and when the intent was a genuine one to do the flier harm. Megatron had definitely only been showing off his superior size, and the grip wasn't half as strong as it could have been.  
'Fair enough,' the silver mech stared at the little flier in his grip then, seeing the look on Starscream's faceplates, changed the subject abruptly. 'How are your experiments going?'  
The Seeker brightened perceptibly. 'Very enjoyably My Lord, the fleshlings are very interesting- scientifically speaking, of course.' He didn't quite dare tell the older mech the exact nature of what he was doing- it might be seen as weak, but he could describe what he had done with the first two and even what had happened when they'd died to see what his leader thought of it. Maybe even reveal a bit more, just so long as he didn't say what he was doing with his own squishies.  
'They can be much like Autobots can't they?' Megatron muttered in disgust kliks later, after his SIC had described how the two fleshlings had acted in their final moments.  
'In some ways Master,' the flier agreed.  
'Only some?' The Commander raised his optic ridges.  
'Do you remember Bumblebee Sir?' The other Decepticon nodded. 'They tortured him Master.' And you. 'That is a Decepticon action, not an Autobot one.'  
'Then they are divided as our race is?' Megatron questioned, having not thought about the humans beyond what an annoyance they were before, not allowing himself to dwell too deeply on memories of his mortifying confinement. And, naturally, how he would like to destroy that little fleshling 'boy' who had so humiliated him not once, but twice now.  
'I believe that…' Starscream thought for a moment, 'say they went to war with each other, on the scale that we did, then it would not be as simple a matter as two factions, as individual humans themselves would be divided between one side and the other. Therefore there would probably be many factions where humans would try to seek out others with as similar views to their own as possible. Although there have been 'World Wars' in which separate countries united as allies under one term such as the Axis Powers and the Allied Powers in what they call 'World War Two'. So my theory could be wrong, but even then the countries mainly represented themselves, had different ideologies, and disagreed on what to do on the end of the First World War at least. So humans are divided even among their own groups. The fact that there have been civil wars also supports my point. Humans have many ideologies with aspects of both factions in most, if not all, of them. Some believe in freedom, others in strict control. Some torture, some have the death penalty, some have both, one or neither. Considering their organic status, they are quite complex. Master.' He quickly stuck the honorific on the end, realising he'd been neglecting it, and he'd rambled a bit so Megatron might be annoyed. 'Of course I'd need to do more research…' he trailed off.  
The Commander merely seemed to be contemplating what his SIC had said, however, a part of his processor was amused by Starscream slipping into his 'Science Tone' as Megatron called it. 'Perhaps we could find some fleshlings with… suitable sensibilities and positions and use that to our advantage.' After a moment of quiet, the larger mech looked at the jars, 'some are missing,' he muttered. Starscream cleared his vocal processer before admitting that some were dead, but he'd learnt about human reactions to different extremes. His leader smiled darkly before asking for details.  
A couple of cycles later, the two parted on reasonably friendly terms. Starscream curled the small Seeker into his chassis and worried. He slipped the hatchling inside the compartment and went to feed his humans before he himself went for recharge. One of the women cleared her throat politely and the SIC, recognising the gesture, looked down at her with an optic ridge raised in question. After a moment the woman who Starscream thought was named Sarah murmured, 'why did he hurt you?'  
'He didn't, and even if he did it's not your concern.' His vocaliser snapped curtly, putting the others back in their jars and returning his attention to Sarah before placing her back in her own jar, 'I wouldn't worry about me if I was you, you'll be dead soon.'  
'You care about the… the…' She looked up questioningly.  
'Hatchling.' Starscream supplied.  
'The thing!' Another man shouted foolishly through the glass, and Sarah flinched and cowered, keeping her eyes tight shut. Without a word, the Seeker scooped the man out of the jar, and threw him in the incinerator. A few kliks passed before he put his servo down and the young woman tentatively stepped into it and he brought her up so they were eye to optic.  
'I care about the hatchling because he is one of my own, my kin, you are not and never will be.' The Seeker hissed, optics narrowed to two slits of malevolent red.  
Sarah thought for a moment then took a few deep breaths and murmured bravely, 'you asked him a request, may I have one please?' The SIC made a motion for her to continue, curious. 'Would you make… it quick for me please?' The Air Commander thought for a moment, helm on his shoulder armour, staring at her until the fleshling started squirming under his scrutiny of her, before finally offering the woman a claw. The woman shook it with both her hands. 'Thank you.' Starscream nodded then put her back in her jar.  
Humans are like hatchlings in some ways. Both small, both vulnerable. He had allowed Sarah one mercy because of this but… there was a large part of him that was still reviled by her race and Starscream didn't think that would ever change. The Air Commander cared for the hatchling, true, but only because the little mech was almost family and he had a duty of care to all Decepticon Seekers.  
Trying to forget the issue for the moment he went to his own quarters, being sure to turn on his security measures this time and to lock the lab door. The flier eased the hatchling into a small berth near his own. A temporary measure of course. Tonight, he slept alone in his berth and he stretched out his wings luxuriously, vents sighing in contentment. Starscream optics were just beginning to droop before Megatron commed him.  
Starscream. The low voice drew him from the threshold of recharge.  
Yes Sir?   
I would like you to accompany me on a mission in five cycles, try to get some rest.  
…Yes Sir. The Seeker stared at the opposite wall. He and his leader had not gone on a mission alone together for solar cycles.  
This was either going to be really enjoyable or really... unpleasant.  
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Hope you all liked it and please review. Thanks and I'll see you all soon.


	7. Ice

Author's Notes- Hello again here is the seventh chapter. Special thanks to Jessie07, Iwanita, Angel's Anthem and poisonouswaffle'n-stuffs for their reviews, to everyone who favourited and alerted this story and Kibble Beast for betaing :-).   
Italics- Flashbacks/thoughts/memories.   
Bold- Comm speak.  
Warnings- Transformer swearing and energy draining (there are videos on youtube if you are unfamiliar with this- search: Transformers 3 Dark Of The Moon Game PS3 CH 6 Part 1/5. HD. It's uploaded by zachinger. About 1 minute 35 seconds in you see Megatron do this to Starscream- poor Seeker :-( he was only trying to help. Ah well he gets a little bit of revenge later in the chapter).   
Disclaimer- I do not own Transformers or its characters.  
Beta- The lovely Kibble Beast.  
All mistakes are my own.  
I hope you all enjoy it.  
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Chapter Seven- Ice  
Starscream shivered.  
When Megatron had asked if he wanted to go on a mission with him he'd tentatively accepted, and they'd flown out together before the rest of the base had woken from recharge.  
Soundwave had claimed there were large energy signals coming from these coordinates and so that may be.  
But someone could have told the flier how slagging cold it was going to be.  
The two mechs sat in a cave surrounded by ice and, outside, snow. The larger mech now seemed in a foul temper and, for once, the Seeker couldn't blame him. Their TIC should have known better than to send them somewhere like this.  
At least, the flier reasoned, it wouldn't be him getting the beating this time.  
'We'll rest a while then go back to the Nemesis.' Megatron muttered darkly and succinctly. Starscream nodded silently. It didn't seem wise to speak at the moment.  
What was that idiot thinking? Megatron's going to be in a temper for decacycles.  
It was an unspoken rule in the base that their mighty leader did not go on missions in icy cold places. The Decepticon Lord dropped down to rest beside Starscream and ordered him softly to recharge for half a cycle.  
The Seeker went to obey and was about to offline his optics when he saw subtle trembling (fear or cold?) in Megatron's frame and, after a moment's indecision, rolled on his front, extended a wing, and blanketed his leader with it.  
He froze for a second when the larger mech shifted and made a small sound, but relaxed as the Commander did.  
Fifteen kliks later, the Seeker woke as Megatron's claws ran down the inside of his wing. Optics bleary, he looked over at his still recharging Commander and realised that Megatron had simply pulled the wing closer to him.  
Mentally shrugging, the flier went to settle back into recharge. He curled a bit closer to the larger mech, shaking with cold, and offlined his optics.  
Barely five kliks later, the Seeker found himself against the cave wall by his throat, and he quickly tried to withdraw his wing from around Megatron.  
'Don't!' The older mech growled.  
Reluctantly the flier left his wing where it was so that he was almost embracing the Warlord, and began to panic when Megatron raised his arm.  
Starscream knew what it meant; he'd seen this position before. Megatron had the innate ability to drain energy through his palm somehow, and despite having seen it cruelly performed many a time, it was not an experience the Seeker had ever personally wanted to suffer.  
'Megatron! No, please!'  
'Relax Starscream I won't take much, just a little.' The Seeker shut his optics, terrified, as his leader began to drain his life energy.  
After a while of his superior's slow sapping in the silent and painfully bright white cave the SIC peered weakly up and began to scramble feebly at Megatron's chassis.  
'Please, Master, please.' Starscream whimpered, staring pleadingly into Megatron's optics.  
The Commander held the gaze for a moment before lowering his arm and the blue purple energy that had been passing into his frame from his subordinate cut off.  
The Seeker shuddered in relief then slumped shakily into Megatron's arms. 'Thank you Sir.' Starscream whispered, absurdly grateful that his Commander had stopped.  
He gasped as he was dropped to the ground and watched with increasing dismay as his leader walked to the cave's opening. Please don't leave me. The Seeker began to crawl, his sight swimming, after his Commander.  
Starscream got as far as Megatron's pedes before collapsing and was filled with the distressing knowledge that if his leader decided to leave him here he wouldn't be able to get anywhere under his own power.  
He wouldn't be able to fly.  
________________________________________  
Megatron's optics were drawn to the flier's barely conscious body when he heard a distressed keen.  
After a moment he murmured impassively, 'I should leave you here. Then at least one of you would learn what it's like. I'd come and get you in a few millennia. Don't worry- you wouldn't be completely abandoned, I would come for you as you did for me... eventually.'  
Starscream raised his optics to meet his Commander's and waited, wondering if this was really it this time, if he'd never see his brothers again. If he didn't receive help he'd deactivate here within the orn, let alone a 'few millennia'.  
After an agonising couple of kliks, Megatron sighed and scooped his Air Commander into his arms and Starscream promptly passed out from the movement.  
Megatron rose into the air and felt an increasingly familiar but still vile feeling in his circuits. It's his duty to serve me; I should not be feeling remorse over exerting my authority.   
Still… this had not been his Seeker's doing.  
He stared down at the mech in his arms as they approached the Nemesis. The Commander's life-force had needed replenishing and he had been, still was, enraged. Starscream had just been convenient.  
As always.  
Would he have left the Seeker? No. As much as he hated to admit it, Megatron would miss the younger mech if he lost him. His SIC kept what would otherwise be a tedious existence interesting and he was a never-ending source of entertainment.  
When Starscream's wing had laid over him he had been surprised to say the least. The sensation in the biting chill had been pleasant, and it had briefly occurred to him that this was what the flier did to comfort his trinemates.  
As the Commander had drifted into recharge, smugness had coursed through his energon. He had his flier to himself and Starscream was behaving and showing loyalty.  
However, on waking, an intolerable weakness had set into his circuitry. He hadn't drank enough energon of late and his Air Commander's life energy had called to him.  
Megatron had not been lying when he had said he only wanted a small amount to replenish himself, but had found that when he started it was harder than he thought it would be to stop.  
His Seeker was unusually still in his grip but his spark was still pulsing. The Decepticon leader put on a burst of speed, keeping Starscream close to his chassis, leaving dents in the more fragile mech's arm armour.  
Soundwave? He commed his TIC on reaching the base.  
Proceed Lord Megatron.  
If you could come to my quarters, now, I would be much obliged. Megatron commed back sweetly.  
Affirmative Lord Megatron. There was a hint, a touch, of fear in Soundwave's reply. Perhaps he recognised his Commander's tone from when the large mech was about to beat the slag out of Starscream.  
Megatron carried Starscream to the Seeker's own quarters, put Starscream's codes into the system to open the door, and slipped his SIC into his berth, on his front so the smaller mech wasn't lying on his wings.  
He watched his flier for a few moments then sighed and commed the Air Commander's trinemates. Thundercracker. Skywarp. Starscream's quarters, now.   
The tyrant received two affirmatives and five astroseconds later Skywarp teleported in with Thundercracker.  
Their Commander was almost out of the door and threw orders over his shoulder to give Starscream plenty of energon when he woke up and then to send their brother to Megatron's quarters for a 'little chat'.  
________________________________________  
'TC?' Thundercracker had been staring, immobile, at his eldest brother since they'd entered the room. He looked across at Skywarp who was sitting on the berth stroking Starscream's faceplates, and met the scared and bewildered optics looking up at him.  
Quickly, snapping out of his stupor, the middle brother surged forward and wrapped a wing and one arm around Skywarp.  
'It's alright Sky, he'll be fine. He's just tired that's all. Why don't you go get some energon and then we'll all get some recharge?'  
'Ok TC.' Skywarp forced himself to not look at the unconscious mech and vanished then, a klik later, reappeared with four cubes of standard energon. He and Thundercracker took one each but saved the two largest ones for their unconscious brother.  
They sipped their drinks slowly, wings wrapped around each other, both trying not to comment on how still Starscream was and that, somehow, he didn't quite look right.  
Thundercracker avoided Skywarp's gaze and attempted to hide his anxiety, going so far as to block part of the link off so his younger brother wouldn't realise how upset the middle mech actually was.  
The two Seekers curled up together, resting one wing and one servo each on their eldest brother, and one each on each other, and tried to recharge.  
________________________________________  
Megatron watched his TIC crawl out of his quarters, satisfied that Soundwave had learnt his lesson. The Decepticon Commander dropped into a seat and attempted to relax.  
He knew that Starscream would be fine but there was also the worrying thought nudging at his processor that any progress they had made would be gone from the moment his SIC onlined his optics.  
He shuttered his own optics and reopened them hastily with a shudder when an image of impenetrable ice filled his processor. Engines groaning, he headed out to his throne-room to study a map of Earth he had left there.  
Perhaps it would offer a sufficient distraction while he waited for Starscream.  
________________________________________  
Six cycles later, the SIC had still not woken, and Thundercracker was beginning to panic. He sat beside the berth and watched his two brothers.  
Skywarp, every now and again, would make unhappy little noises in his recharge and the middle Seeker would stroke his wings to comfort him.  
Suddenly, Starscream stirred and his optics flickered online dimly. His two red orbs fell on his brother and, registering the other mech's distress, sent a steady stream of comfort down the link to not just Thundercracker but Skywarp as well.  
The middle brother's arm shot out for the energon cube and looked down at his eldest brother who was clearly fighting to keep himself online.  
'Drink,' Thundercracker encouraged, pushing the energon at Starscream. The message in the bond changed and a clear request for help was wrapped up together with the reassurance.  
The middle sibling helped the older one into a sitting position and slowly tipped the energon down his throat.  
'More,' Starscream whispered pleadingly when it was gone. The first word he had spoken since waking up.  
Thundercracker picked up the second cube, trying to hide his worry from his older brother. The SIC was having none of that but didn't have the strength to do anything else but begin to whisper reassurances to accompany those in the link.  
They were both glad that Skywarp was still recharging, hating the idea of him being hurt or upset. After the second large cube, Starscream was feeling a little stronger.  
He wouldn't be able to do anything strenuous in the next few orns though, and Thundercracker was loath to tell him that Megatron wanted to meet with him.  
To put it off he asked his oldest trinemate what had happened. Instead of words he got a bombardment of images across the link and, when it was over, slumped backwards in his seat to a tune of concern and apology in the bond.  
'No Star,' Thundercracker murmured, 'you have nothing to be sorry for, it's ok.' He repeated himself when Starscream pushed at him in their trine-bond. 'It's ok, I promise. Screamer?'  
'Yes?'  
Thundercracker's worry increased by the moment as it became apparent that even speaking was an energy-drain to his brother and there had been no reaction to the nickname, not even a raising of optic ridges.  
Taking a deep breath he muttered, 'he wants to see you.'  
Starscream's optics fluttered shut for a moment before he nodded and began to pull himself slowly from the berth.  
His middle brother watched incredulous, as the Air Commander tried to move. The eldest didn't get far though and, with Thundercracker's help, returned to the soft metal surface.  
The middle brother watched as Starscream thought what to do when clear instructions came through the link to take Skywarp and go and get Megatron, or at least tell him of his SIC's status.  
When Thundercracker stared at him, slightly annoyed at what he was being asked to do, Starscream pointedly sent images across their link of Megatron punishing Thundercracker and Skywarp and him being helpless to protect them.  
The middle mech looked into the eldest's begging optics for a moment, then nodded, and stroked Starscream's wing to let him know he wasn't angry with him. The SIC allowed his systems to begin powering back down in relief and left Thundercracker to his task.  
'Skywarp, come on baby brother wake up.' Skywarp stared up at his brother a moment in sleepy confusion before understanding flashed across his faceplates and the smallest Seeker sat up to stare at Starscream. 'It's ok little bro, he's had a drink and is just resting his optics. Come on, we have to get Megatron.'  
The youngest looked like he was about to argue before the oldest Seeker suddenly chipped in, reversing his shut down so he could offer comfort, 'go on, I'm alright, go get him.'  
This was followed by a strong feeling of reassurance in the link for Skywarp, and the youngest nodded, grabbed Thundercracker's servo and vanished.  
Alone, Starscream began to sob.  
________________________________________  
Fifteen kliks later, Megatron came to the Seeker's quarters, large cube of low energon in servo.  
At first he simply entered the code and walked inside, but then he heard his second's distress and in a rare moment of empathy slipped back outside without Starscream even noticing his entrance in the first place.  
The large silver mech then rapped firmly on the door, gave his SIC a few moments to compose himself, and strode back into the room.  
The Air Commander was sitting up on his berth, and seemed to be relaxed, bar an anxious look in his optics and a slight nervous twitching of his wings.  
Megatron sat down beside the berth and handed his Seeker the cube of energon. 'Thank you Sir,' the younger mech murmured and began to drink.  
The older mech waited for him to finish the cube before taking it from him and pulling the Seeker close so that the larger mech was looming over him.  
Starscream looked at him in fear for an astrosecond before Megatron grinned. The Commander reopened the connection but, this time, gave some of his own life energy to his SIC.  
The Seeker was shocked still and silent for a moment, before he began to writhe underneath the sheer energy flooding through him.  
It only lasted a klik, but it was enough.  
The Decepticon Lord wrapped an arm companionably around Starscream's shoulders, and the Seeker lowered his helm to rest on Megatron's chassis, recognising the unspoken apology for what it was.  
For a while, all was content.  
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Author's Note- I don't think Megatron can give people their life energy back so I have cheated a little bit here.  
Hope you all liked it and please review. Thanks and I'll see you all soon.


	8. Stress Relief

Author's Notes- Hello again here is the eighth chapter. Special thanks to Jessie07, Kitt SummerIsle, Iwanita, Francesca Zatnik and peppymint for their reviews, to everyone who favourited and alerted this story and Kibble Beast for betaing :-).   
Italics- Flashbacks/thoughts/memories/link speak.   
Bold- Comm speak.  
Warnings- Transformer swearing and violence.  
Disclaimer- I do not own Transformers or its characters.  
Beta- The lovely Kibble Beast.  
All mistakes are my own.  
I hope you all enjoy it.  
________________________________________  
Chapter Eight- Stress-Relief  
Megatron paced feverishly. He hated Earth, the Autobots, this entire misfortunate area of space. Hated how cold everything was. The Commander stared, fists clenching and unclenching, at the vile planet before his optics. It was so tempting to just leave. To take his army and go.  
But that was impossible.  
They needed the Energon and it was too risky to go somewhere else to look for more, and the humans and the Autobots needed to be punished for the powerful mech's humiliation. Megatron sighed and rubbed his optics wearily for a moment before the ever present rage took over once again. With red optics so dark as to almost be black and howling with fury, he destroyed his surroundings but, somehow, it still wasn't enough…  
Starscream slipped silently into the room. He took a deep breath and steeled himself. Has to be done or he'll do something we'll all regret. It was his duty as SIC. With this in mind, the flier strode proudly across the room, and knelt at Megatron's pedes.  
The Commander had been in a dark mood recently and the entire army were in hiding from him; this situation could not be allowed to go on. The Seeker watched his leader's control dwindling for a moment, the fists still clenching and unclenching, before the larger mech forcibly relaxed himself. Starscream leaned forward, took his superior's servo, and gently balled it back into a fist. Then, bowing his helm, fell back into his kneeling position, waiting.  
A servo fell on his shoulder and gave it a squeeze. Taking his cue the SIC raised his helm to take the first blow. He shut his optics as he flew across the floor and Megatron was soon upon him. The larger mech grabbed the Seeker's wrists then held him up off the floor to use as a makeshift punching bag.  
The Seeker made the sounds his leader loved, but Megatron was not sure the flier was completely conscious of doing so. This was one thing he could count on his typically rebellious SIC for and, to the smaller mech's credit, this was one responsibility he fulfilled without complaint. Have to reward him later. Granting one small mercy in his assault, the Decepticon Commander avoided the Air Commander's wings.  
The damage, though painful, would be merely superficial and easily repaired. Megatron himself would take care of his Seeker afterwards, as always. The little ritual they had would soon be over and the Commander could already feel his control returning. The final punches to Starscream's chassis and lower frame were half-sparked at best as his leader sighed in relief.  
A few moments later, Megatron lowered his battered second to the floor and settled down beside him. Once Starscream spoke, the next and final stage- that of cleaning the Air Commander up- would begin. The Seeker, optics shut, worked on getting his systems back into some form of order. I'm the only one who can do this for him, the only one who can give him relief. Starscream scoffed inwardly, not knowing whether to be flattered or insulted.  
He knew the TIC had been punished for his indiscretion but Megatron's rage hadn't been appeased and, clearly, from the older mech's calm state now, it had been when relieved on the flier. The scoff was followed by a sigh. Being the Commander's 'stress-relief' was one of the few jobs he never failed at but it was also one he had never wanted. Never asked for.  
Then again, it was probably in his job description, this was the Decepticons after all. The thought brought a smile to the injured mech's faceplates that soon broke into giggles.  
The Commander watched his Seeker's reactions intently and was glad to see the small grin. Everything could go back to normal now, at least for a time. Megatron suddenly frowned as he began to consider whether having his loyal SIC back would be impossible considering this little performance they gave each other.  
Could the Seeker really become and stay loyal if his leader carried on beating him? Starscream began to giggle painfully and the Commander looked at him oddly before shrugging his shoulders and going to get the repair kit.  
'Hush,' the large mech ordered when he returned and could still hear his second's amusement, 'you're doing yourself further damage you mad little bat.'  
'Bat?' Starscream screeched.  
Megatron cuffed the back of his helm gently. 'Shush, or you'll really be in trouble,' he paused then with a wicked grin added, 'Screamer.' The Seeker glared with no real malice and his superior raised an optic ridge. Starscream sighed in defeat and raised his servos a little, briefly, before they fell back to the floor.  
'You never play fair Master,' the Air Commander whined.  
'I know. Now for the last time, quiet.' The Decepticon Commander was gratified when his SIC finally obeyed. After a while the flier looked more like his old self, and was sighing quietly in contentment. It would be a while before this time rolled around again and the Seeker could put it to the back of his processor until then.  
'Sir?'  
'Mm?'  
'Thank you for leaving the wings.'  
Megatron chuckled and nodded, 'you can owe me for it.' Starscream agreed amiably and settled back for the remainder of his repairs, optics shutting. 'Starscream?' Two slits of red stared up at him. 'Recharge.'  
'I'm not a hatchling, you know? That's all you seem to order me to do recently.'  
'Do as you're told or I'll put you in your berth myself,' the Commander growled.  
Starscream giggled at the threat and curled up to obey, 'will you join me Sir?' He chuckled.  
'Cheeky brat,' Megatron muttered, settling beside his Seeker.  
The SIC prepared to recharge, wincing slightly as he moved his repairing internals. Relief settled in his circuits, the Decepticon leader seemed in a far better mood now, and the flier hoped it would last for a while.  
Foreboding began to stroke his spark though as Starscream looked up at the Earth through the window. It won't last, everything goes wrong too often. The Seeker slumped but forced himself to shut his optics and at least pretend he was recharging. He could worry about it when it happened.  
The peace did not last long, however. Starscream sat bolt upright as pain seared through the link, and quickly pulled himself to his pedes, leaning on the wall for support as his internals protested the sudden move.  
Thundercracker? Skywarp? He commed and called for them in the link but received only silence. The Seeker began to shake as his calls became even more frantic to his brothers. They're not dead, I'd have felt it, they're not dead they can't be.  
'Starscream?' The Air Commander stared down at Megatron, 'what is it?'  
'Something's wrong… my brothers…' Starscream was quickly becoming distraught and began ineffectually to try to calm himself down.  
Star? Came a weak voice through the comm.  
Sky? Starscream allowed himself a small sigh of relief, what's happened? What's wrong?  
They got TC! They got TC! Skywarp commed back, panicking.  
'Frag!' The Seeker cursed earning a strange questioning look from his Commander. Teleport back and get me, we'll get him back, and if we don't we'll destroy every Autobot in the fragging galaxy.  
Okay, Skywarp whispered quietly, trusting his oldest brother completely. Then, I can't teleport Star, the youngest flier whimpered I was hit; I'll need time to repair myself enough.  
That's alright, Starscream quickly soothed, it will give us time to plan, rest a short while. They're Autobots; they won't kill an injured prisoner. The flier didn't know if he was trying to reassure Skywarp or himself.  
Okay Star, m'sorry I wasn't good enough.  
No Sky- it wasn't your fault, I should have been there. I'm going to be there more often, I promise. Now rest for me, alright?  
Resting, Star.  
We'll speak soon. For Primus's sake, be careful. Skywarp gave him the equivalent of a nod through the link and tried to drift off into recharge.  
'For the Pit's sake, what is going on?' Megatron half-growled, half-roared. Starscream realised he'd been, to all appearances, ignoring his Commander.  
'Forgive me, Master. The Autobots have taken Thundercracker and shot Skywarp down. I must go and help them.' If he began the flight to Earth then he'd be closer to his youngest brother when he recovered enough to teleport. The SIC began to plan a way to get his brother back when a firm servo grabbed his arm, and he hissed as claws dug into his armour.  
'Must you really, Starscream?' the Decepticon Lord murmured. Starscream met his leader's cold optics with his pleading ones and, after a few moments, Megatron sighed and nodded. 'Fine, but I'm coming with you, you're not getting all the fun.'  
Starscream relaxed with a shudder and tried to walk forward but his systems seemed to have other ideas. The Seeker would have fallen if his leader had not been there to catch his arm.  
'Steady Seeker, if you put me at a disadvantage in the field I'll shoot you down myself, understand?' Megatron whispered cruelly in his audios.  
'Yes Sir.' The flier nodded, closing his optics and feeling a little bit like he was about to purge his tanks. Megatron's good mood hadn't lasted long at all.  
Starscream sighed, stricken, it looked like he wouldn't be able to avoid another little session with his leader for as long as he had hoped. Panic was beginning to take over his spark the longer he couldn't reach Thundercracker. The link recognised that he was alive but the older brother couldn't reach him no matter how he tried. Just temporarily offline, he'll be fine.   
The Air Commander couldn't help but snarl as he thought about what could be being done to his trinemate as he leaned on his leader walking towards the door. The worst part was that Thundercracker was alone, a Seeker should never suffer alone, his or her trine should always be there to ease any pain. Starscream's anger increased as he directed it towards himself. I should have been there, protecting them. Megatron's right, I am a failure. The Autobots would pay for this, as well as any of their human pets that happened to get in the way. 'Master?'  
'Yes?' The Commander bit out.  
'… I'm sorry; I did not mean to offend you earlier. The link was… hurting me. It was all I could focus on. It was not my intention to ignore you, it was not deliberate I assure you.'  
Megatron seemed slightly appeased by this and his tone was softer when he next spoke. 'Very well; I'm in an amiable mood. Just don't let it happen again my dear Starscream or else…' The Commander left the sentence hanging, the 'or else' left to his second's imagination. The Seeker shivered when he thought of all that his leader could do to him, but gracefully and gratefully accepted the Decepticon Lord's pardon.  
They reached the runway area and took off into space, heading for the Earth's atmosphere. Starscream seemed to fare better here, as his wings were uninjured and doing most of the work. The Seeker knew he could run rings around Megatron in the air as always, but the thought to try didn't cross his processor.  
The Decepticon Lord never forgave his SIC two separate disobediences or mistakes in one orn. He had been lucky to get away with what he had done. With this in mind, the flier stayed respectfully just behind and to the right of his Commander, though he itched to race on ahead to comfort Skywarp.  
Star?  
Yes? Can you teleport? The relief was plain in Starscream's tone.  
I think so, should I come to you?  
Where are you?  
Five miles from the Autobot Base.  
Wait there and survey the area. Do not take any risks you hear me?  
Yes Star, I'll wait.  
Megatron and I will be there soon, be careful.  
Ok. Skywarp whispered back.  
Starscream was silent for a few moments before asking through the link, are you hurt? This way their conversation was sure to be private.  
A little bit, I'm scared Star. The SIC could feel his younger brother's pain in the link and tried to offer what reassurance he could.  
I'll be there soon and then we'll go get Thundercracker.  
Do you think TC's okay?  
He'll be fine, he's strong. I'm nearly with you but I'm going to stop speaking alright? Our esteemed leader desires my attention.  
Okay Star.  
Starscream withdrew slightly from the bond, aware that he had been in quite deep. That was alright normally, but now he needed to focus, needed to have a clear processor or he and his trine were all slagged. The two mechs landed a short distance from Skywarp and the youngest Seeker ran into the eldest's arms while Megatron looked on in thinly veiled disgust.  
'Hush,' the SIC murmured, 'it'll be fine.'  
After a few short moments, the three began to stalk towards the Autobot base.  
Megatron stopped them with a raised servo a mile away from their target, 'without a plan this is foolish,' he murmured and the three paused. Starscream was opening his mouth to speak when they all heard a soft crying, and the eldest Seeker's spark clenched when he realised that he recognised the sound, and so knew who it belonged to.  
No.   
As they peered through some trees, Perceptor was clearly recognisable sat down on a fallen log. Starscream stared at one of his oldest friends (though they had not seen each other or spoken in millennia), quite possibly the only Autobot he did not despise, and then glanced at his Commander's expression.  
It did not bode well for the desolate Autobot.  
He could do nothing but watch as his youngest brother was sent on the Decepticon Lord's orders to capture and confine the unfortunate mech in the Nemesis. As the two vanished, flashes crossed his processor of what would happen. The microscope (was that still his preferred form?) would be interrogated and executed.  
These spark-clenching thoughts were interrupted by a fresh wave of agony through his systems. Thundercracker cut off your link with Skywarp, now! The SIC commed before he was overwhelmed and collapsed to the ground. Skywarp, you're to stay on the Nemesis, stay safe!  
Yes, Star. Skywarp managed to comm back, pain lacing his voice.  
'Starscream?' Megatron stood over his Seeker. His SIC could do nothing but writhe on the ground before he finally, with a wave of apology and a promise that help was coming through the link, cut himself off from Thundercracker.  
Rage overtook the flier's processor, 'I'll fragging kill them Master! I'll rip their slagging sparks out! How dare they? How fragging dare they?'  
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Hope you all liked it and please review. Thanks and I'll see you all soon.


	9. Autobot Scum

Author's Notes- Hello again here is the ninth chapter. Special thanks to Jessie07, poisonouswaffle'n-stuffs, Iwanita, Francesca Zatnik and Chibi Oro for their reviews, to everyone who favourited and alerted this story and Kibble Beast for betaing :-).   
Italics- Flashbacks/thoughts/memories/link speak.   
Bold- Comm speak.  
Warnings- Transformer swearing, death and violence.  
Disclaimer- I do not own Transformers or its characters.  
Beta- The lovely Kibble Beast.  
All mistakes are my own.  
I hope you all enjoy it.  
________________________________________  
Chapter Nine- Autobot Scum  
Starscream kicked the air frantically, his optics moistening. 'Do I have your attention now Seeker? Are you listening to me?'  
The SIC nodded desperately, please, please.  
Megatron tightened his grip on the flier's wings, one servo holding Starscream off the ground by the two appendages, the other firmly over his second's mouth. 'I am going to put you down and you are going to be silent, is that understood?' The Seeker nodded, whimpering feebly beneath his superior's servo.  
The Commander lowered Starscream to the floor and let him go; his Seeker instantly fell back from him, shaking, and pulled his wings close to himself. 'Calm yourself Starscream. I've done you no real harm,' Megatron chided. 'You want your brother back and we will retrieve him, but we must have a plan.'  
The Seeker let out a stuttered sigh before raising his servo and, after a nod from the Decepticon Lord, murmured, 'we could offer an exchange,' (must not say his name) 'the Autobot for Thundercracker Master.'  
Megatron thought for a moment before shaking his helm. 'No, far too weak an action and besides, your brother or not, he's still only a fallen soldier. He's lucky any attempt is being made to get him at all.' Starscream nodded, seething slightly (so were you, not once but twice), he knew it had been unlikely that he would have been able to save Perceptor but it had been worth a try. His Commander was not known to give up any advantage out of the goodness of his spark.  
Megatron looked at him and noticed the change in his second's mood from sullen and frightened to slagged off, but unknowingly only partially understood why. 'Now, now Starscream, don't be insolent. Would you really like to be reprimanded again?'  
'No, no Sir.' The Seeker shuddered.  
'Good, but when we get back to base you and I are going to have a little talk.'  
'Yes, My Lord,' Starscream sighed and pushed the dread to the back of his processor.  
'Come along, we had better get the lay of the land.' The pair began to walk towards the Autobot base, with the flier staying behind his Commander and just out of his immediate reach. 'Starscream…?'  
'Yes Sir?'  
'What, by the Pit, was that all about?'  
The Seeker closed his optics for a moment, not as angry now, more distressed. 'They took his wings, Master,' he said in a small voice.  
The Commander looked at his devastated SIC for a klik before turning around and carrying on through the trees. He silently decided to go easy on his second later. 'They'll pay Starscream, you have my word on it.'  
His Seeker looked up at him in surprise before a tiny smile crossed his features. 'Thank you Sir.' The Decepticon Commander nodded without looking back and they continued on, silently, towards the Autobots.  
On reaching the base they saw that this was going to be difficult. The two were watching Autobots guarding the area in their alt-forms when Starscream had an idea, it was simple and possibly suicidal but it was a plan. Master?  
Yes?  
I could cause a diversion if you would go get Thundercracker. When there was no answer Starscream looked up over at his superior. Their optics met and Megatron slowly nodded.  
Get to me as soon as you are able, I may get waylaid by Prime. The Seeker commed back an affirmative, not questioning how Megatron knew his own brother was in there and, after taking a deep breath to steel himself, transformed and took off into the air. His Commander watched as Starscream fired on the base and the Autobots transformed to return it.  
After a few kliks, when he was sure the majority of the attention was on his second, he leapt over the ridge they had been hiding behind and then after taking a few strides, quite simply, stepped over the electrified fence. Blasting anything that came near, he tracked Thundercracker's Decepticon signal through the base.  
A few Autobots appeared before him but then quickly got out of his way. Warning alarms were going off all over the base and the Commander knew his brother would be heading his way.  
Starscream weaved in and out of the Autobot shots, only firing enough himself so they had to keep their attention on him. His wings were protesting from his Commander's earlier treatment but, this time at least, they were holding up against the strain being put on them.  
The Seeker deliberately went into free fall, approaching the ground faster and faster, until the very last moment where he pulled up and, keeping low once he cleared the fence let out a volley of shots forcing the Autobots to take cover. The SIC transformed and his momentum kept him going through the air until he crashed through the window he had been aiming at.  
Rising gracefully to his pedes, glad the ceiling was high enough for him to be able to stand, he scanned the base for other Decepticon life signatures.  
________________________________________  
'Megatron.'  
The Decepticon Commander met his brother's optics. 'Optimus,' he rejoined.  
'Why are you here?' The Autobot demanded, deliberately keeping the conversation going so his friends, both bot and human, could get out of the way. Megatron noticed and, revelling in his brother's helpless cry of horror, callously shot those too slow to get to the exits.  
Partially for enjoyment, and partially to increase both his and Starscream's chances.  
'Your kind has done mine a great grievance Prime, I'm here to see it is corrected.' A furious Optimus looked at him in sudden confusion and Megatron snarled in annoyance. 'I was unaware it was Autobot policy to ground wounded Seekers Prime, perhaps we are more alike than you think.'  
'But… it's not… we don't…' The Prime murmured bewildered, before a horrible realisation seemed to dawn in his optics, 'no, no they wouldn't…'  
Megatron raised his optic ridges in amusement. 'You didn't know, Optimus? You don't know the goings on of your own base?'  
'You could be lying…' The Autobot leader said quietly, with no belief.  
'Don't be a fool,' his brother laughed. 'I have no reason to lie and besides Starscream is here-perhaps you would like to ask him? It was his trinemate after all, so he felt it happen, as did their third.'  
'The humans…' Optimus whispered to himself.  
'The humans?' Megatron laughed in pleasure, 'do they so like causing harm they feel it necessary to torment three beings at once?'  
'They couldn't have known.' The other mech tried to stand up for his allies.  
'Ah no, perhaps not. But they knew the damage they were doing to one didn't they? This is the race you stand for Optimus, Decepticons in Autobot clothing.'  
Optimus fell into an offensive stance. 'They are young and will evolve. It is my duty to protect them.'  
'Then mark my words, you will suffer for it brother. They will give you no gratitude, only pain.'  
'I don't expect gratitude, I only wish them to be safe.' The Autobot stated, advancing on his brother.  
'A noble, but foolish, sentiment Optimus,' Megatron answered matching the Prime's strides forwards until they stood mere inches apart. As they launched at each other, the Decepticon leader commed his second, Starscream where are you?  
Nearly with you Master, I'm just dealing with Ironhide.  
Be quick about it.  
Yes, Sir.  
Megatron punched Optimus across his left faceplate and kneed his interfacing panel. Crude, but effective, and he wasn't aiming to actually kill his Autobot counterpart this time. The Decepticon wanted his brother to suffer with the knowledge of what the humans had done.  
It was painfully clear how distracted the Autobot leader was, how his spark and processor just weren't in their little tussle. The Prime's moves were slower than normal, and he was failing to react swift enough to defend himself. Each blow landed on the Autobot's frame hard until he crumpled at his brother's pedes.  
The Decepticon Commander stepped over Optimus's battered form, leaving his brother to come to his own conclusions as to why he was being allowed to live. His second flew around the corner to meet his Commander in his alt-form. Starscream transformed and landed before Megatron, inclining his helm. Before the flier could comment on Optimus his Commander demanded, 'have you found him?'  
'I believe so Sir, he's in the… labs… in the west of the base.' The Decepticon Lord took off in long and heavy strides towards Thundercracker's energy signal. Multiple Autobots signals also appeared on their scanners but, strangely, they were not attacked. They reached the labs without hassle and Starscream quickly located his trinemate when the younger Seeker called for him.  
The SIC was beside him in moments comforting, and chittering to, Thundercracker. The middle brother reminded Starscream of Skywarp as he and the Commander freed him. The blue mech seemed so much younger and more vulnerable than he had done just cycles earlier, and the SIC was suddenly afraid.  
Luckily, Megatron distracted him by putting a servo on his shoulder armour and handing him his trinemate's dismembered wings. Shaking himself, Starscream helped Thundercracker to his pedes, and asked Megatron if he would mind looking after the wings so he could carry his brother.  
The Commander took the wings back and stared at his second expectantly. Starscream turned back to his trinemate, picked him up and followed his superior out of the door. You're alright, I've got you, he said through the link.  
Skywarp? Thundercracker questioned back.  
He's well I promise, let's get you home and I'll fix you up.  
Not Hook?  
No! The older brother answered firmly.  
Thanks Star.  
It's fine, try to recharge.  
Yeah, okay. Thundercracker murmured back tiredly.  
As his trinemate fell unconscious in his arms, Starscream watched Megatron's back and wondered what he was thinking. The three emerged out of the base and stared around at the deserted area.  
The Decepticon Lord indicated for his Seeker to go on ahead of him, and Starscream took off into the sky. Megatron turned to look at the Autobot base for a moment before following his second into the air.  
Starscream hung back to allow his leader to catch up with him and the larger mech pulled up beside him. 'That was… rather odd,' the Seeker ventured.  
'Mmhmm,' Megatron agreed distractedly and Starscream kept silent, unsure of his Commander's mood, until his leader spoke again, 'what of Ironhide?'  
'He'll live, Sir, sorry I was focussing on you and Thundercracker. I did enough to incapacitate him then went to meet you.'  
'Fine, fine,' the Commander murmured, not seeming angry to Starscream's relief. 'Will your brother be alright?'  
'Yes, Sir. I'll patch him up and he'll be fine.'  
'Good.' Megatron suddenly seemed sharper, more focussed, 'don't forget to come and see me afterwards Seeker.'  
'I won't Master,' the Seeker promised, almost successfully hiding his anxiety.  
His Commander smirked.  
They parted on the runway area, Megatron making it quite clear with his faceplates just how smug he was feeling. He slapped his second harder than could be called comradely on the back, laid Thundercracker's wings on top of him, and strode to his private quarters. Starscream sighed and carried Thundercracker to his lab.  
Star? Skywarp commed tentatively.  
It's alright Warp, come to my lab. Starscream commed back guiltily. He had had to focus on Thundercracker but he should have paid more attention to his youngest sibling as well. As he rounded the corner to his lab corridor, Skywarp appeared in front of the lab door. 'TC,' he whispered.  
'He's fine, could you take him for me so I can open the door?' Skywarp nodded and his oldest brother gently lowered Thundercracker into his arms.  
The SIC entered his codes and then lifted his middle brother and his wings off of his youngest one. Skywarp followed him to a table where he picked up his trinemate's wings so the Air Commander could lay out the middle Seeker on a table.  
________________________________________  
A few cycles later, Thundercracker was sat up on the table looking dazed. His wings fluttered weakly behind him, but Starscream and Skywarp were grinning at him so he smiled nervously back. Then his oldest trinemate turned to their youngest and murmured, 'could you take him to my berth room Sky? I'll join you both as soon as I can.'  
'Screamer?' Thundercracker questioned.  
'Our dear leader wishes to speak with me and we'll be allowed no peace until I do so.' The Air Commander murmured apologetically.  
Thundercracker nodded. 'Fine, we'll be waiting.'  
This drew a smile from his oldest brother, 'I know,' he moved out of the way so Skywarp could reach their brother and just before the two youngest vanished added, 'and don't call me Screamer!' Thundercracker began to chuckle which set Skywarp off giggling as they teleported away.  
Starscream sighed wearily and rubbed his optics before dragging his pedes out of his lab, setting the security measures as he passed, to Megatron's private quarters. He stared out of the windows longingly and promised himself a pleasure flight when things had calmed down a bit.  
Perhaps, he could take the hatchling- the poor thing hadn't been out of his quarters the last couple of orns and it was about time it was allowed out properly into the open air. The little mech slept a lot which was good in terms of how much rest he was getting, but Starscream thought he might be recharging too much. Time was running worriedly short for the little flier.  
The Seeker forced himself out of this line of thought as he reached his Commander's door and, standing as proud as he could, knocked.  
Megatron chuckled at his second's bravado as he watched his security feed. He crossed the room to allow his Seeker entry. 'Come in Starscream,' he welcomed as the flier walked tentatively past him. The Commander grabbed him by the back of the neck and marched him forward, 'now then my dear Starscream,' he murmured into his second's audios, 'what am I to do with you?'  
He sat his Air Commander on a chair then took one himself beside the smaller mech. The Commander smiled when his SIC shrugged helplessly and closed his optics. 'You don't know? You're really going to leave your punishment to my processor are you?'  
Starscream knew he should be saying something, anything, to get himself out of this mess, or at least make it a little better for himself but exhaustion had settled into his circuits and he just couldn't think.  
He was almost grateful when Megatron ran a claw down his back, it served quite well in giving him a little energy, enough to think to plead for mercy and to focus on something that he could use to appease his leader. He was drawing a blank for the moment on the second one but familiar words came tumbling to the front of his processor, 'please Master, I'm sorry.'  
'How can you be sorry? You haven't been punished yet.' Megatron asked, still running his claws down his flier's back.  
Starscream slumped, 'I am sorry,' he mumbled again, 'please?'  
The Commander suppressed a chuckle at how quickly his Seeker's façade had broken down in front of him. After a few moments he forced his SIC down onto his knees and carried on stroking. After a few strokes, he savagely dug his claws into his Air Commander's back armour tearing into circuitry, and held them still for a klik, watching as energon gushed down his arm.  
The Warlord then dragged them, still embedded, down his shrieking flier's back. Energon pooled beneath Starscream's quivering form. 'Now you're sorry,' Megatron hissed, his servo dripping with his second's energon resting on the flier's shoulder armour, 'aren't you my dear second?'  
'Y-yes S-sir.' Starscream stammered, shivering with sudden cold. The Decepticon Lord noticed and, remembering his earlier promise to himself to go easy on his Seeker, decided to not take the punishment any further.  
Megatron got out his repair kit and began to repair the flier's back, his processor nagging at him over his second's trembling. It was unusual. The Seeker had taken much worse punishments without sound or movement, so why was now any different? 'Starscream?' he questioned.  
'Yes, Sir?' Starscream whispered back, turning his helm slightly to look at his leader.  
'Is…' Megatron forcibly reigned his temper in as it protested this weak action, 'is something wrong?'  
'No, Master, no.' The Air Commander sighed when his superior raised an optic ridge at him. 'I'm just… tired Master I'll feel better after I recharge.'  
'Glad to hear it. We have an Autobot to play with tomorrow, I'm sure you don't wish to miss out on that?'  
'No Sir,' Starscream smiled and lied smoothly.  
'Alright, off to your quarters with you.'  
After Starscream had gone, Megatron decided to have it discreetly commed around that his Seeker, like himself, would not go on missions in the colder places of that Primus-forsaken planet.  
He got the feeling that the ice had somehow gotten into his SIC's circuits too.  
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Hope you all liked it and please review. Thanks and I'll see you all soon.


	10. Perceptor

Author's Notes- Hello again here is the tenth chapter. Special thanks to poisonouswaffle'n-stuffs, Iwanita, Kitt SummerIsle, Jessie07 and Chibi Oro for their reviews, to everyone who favourited and alerted this story and Kibble Beast for betaing :-).   
Italics- Flashbacks/thoughts/memories/link speak.   
Bold- Comm speak.  
Warnings- Character death (one a major character in the movie verse but unnamed) and mentions of character death. Torture (more implied than made explicit but I thought better safe than sorry) and mentions of torture. Transformer swearing and violence.  
Disclaimer- I do not own Transformers or its characters.  
Beta- The lovely Kibble Beast.  
All mistakes are my own.  
Longer chapter and a bit darker than normal but I hope you all enjoy it.  
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Chapter Ten- Perceptor  
Starscream awoke in his quarters, his trinemates peacefully recharging beside him, worry lingering in his processor. They're fine! Shaking himself slightly he pulled himself out of the berth and poured himself a glass of low-energon.  
Sitting at his table, the SIC nursed his cube and his optics shuttered. Perceptor. Starscream sighed, his wings twitching agitatedly, Megatron was really going to enjoy today and normally so would his second have done.  
Torturing and interrogating prisoners was an amusing pastime for the two of them, sometimes reprogramming them to join the Decepticon cause while leaving them aware enough to know what was happening but unable to resist it. The pleading that could elicit was exquisite, the main fear being that they would kill their friends or that they would force their friends to kill them.  
The flier had never thought, however, it would be a mech he had always thought of as a friend before them. He had known Perceptor was an Autobot, but the Air Commander had also known that the microscope was a pacifist (a true pacifist not the current Autobot definition of the term), so there had been no reason for them to meet in battle and for one or other of their servos to be forced.  
This had been true for millennia and the Seeker had seldom thought about it, for all he knew his old friend had been killed in the millions of solar cycles they hadn't seen each other…  
Starscream- the sudden comm from his Commander gave him a jolt- my quarters.  
Yes Master, coming. The Seeker stood and, after a pause, slipped some high-grade into his chassis. This orn was going to be so very, very long. As Starscream strode towards his door, he stopped to check the recharging hatchling and stroked the little flier's wings gently for a moment before carrying on out of his quarters.  
As he progressed through the halls a proud and self-assured air surrounded him. The Seeker, although frustrated by it, didn't particularly mind Megatron seeing this side of him (an act he had played so long it had truly become a part of him) slip.  
The first time they had met, after all, Starscream had been putting on an act which Megatron had seen through when, in the past, only his trinemates had known if he was pretending or not.  
That fact alone had earned some of the Air Commander's respect.  
The Decepticon Lord was the only mech who could humble his second, as his Seeker was the only one who could pacify his rages. A strange, but equal, exchange and one that had the potential to give them both some peace. Or provoke arguments that sent all others running for cover.  
As the Seeker reached his Commander's quarters, he forced himself to smile. At least he wasn't coming here for punishment this time.  
When Megatron answered the door he greeted his second affably, sheepishly?, and beckoned his Seeker inside.  
'It occurs to me,' he began awkwardly once he and Starscream had seated themselves, 'that I may have been a bit… rash-' unnecessarily and selfishly cruel, Optimus's voice echoed in his processor- 'yesterorn. If our truce is to work…' he sighed through his vents, unsure how to word what he wanted to say and stared down at his servos clasped together in his lap.  
Megatron opened his mouth to speak again but Starscream laid a servo on his shoulder armour and when the tyrant looked up, the Seeker was smiling gently at him.  
How he used to back on Cybertron after Megatron lost his temper and lashed out at him, before their falling out.  
Forgivingly.  
Returning the smile with a grateful one of his own, the Warlord stood and beckoned his second in front of him out into the corridor. As Megatron had locked up his quarters, Starscream stood to one side so that the tyrant could lead the way down to the cells.  
'Come along Starscream, let's not keep our guest waiting.' The Decepticon Lord chuckled.  
The Seeker nodded and fell into step behind his leader. Perhaps, the SIC thought, Perceptor will now hate me.   
It would be quite logical, after everything Starscream had done, everything the Autobots and Decepticons had done to each other. If it was true, if Perceptor was uncharacteristically hostile and cold towards him, it would make the events of this orn and possibly the next more bearable.  
Even enjoyable, maybe.  
Starscream kept his optics on his Commander, noting how at ease Megatron seemed, and wished he could be the same. This is not different to any other time we've done this, he tried to convince himself, he's an Autobot. If we were fighting in the field I'd kill without hesitation. It's exactly the same and would have happened one orn one way or another.   
Despite this, the SIC couldn't help but feel that if he ever met the mech or femme who had made the microscope cry and had presumably driven him away from the safety of his comrades, the flier would blast them apart.  
As the pair entered the cell one glance between the flier and his old friend said it all.  
Despite everything, Perceptor didn't hate Starscream. But then… he had never hated anyone. Not really.  
The Decepticons took a chair each before the Autobot who was chained to the floor.  
Perceptor stared wearily at them, waiting for something to happen. If there was an Autobot handbook, the microscope thought, then somewhere in really big letters there would be a warning saying being chained up before Megatron was a really bad thing. That being before Megatron even when not restrained was a really bad thing.   
Megatron himself seemed to be sizing him up, deciding whether he'd be easy to break or not. He was in for a disappointment. No matter what they did it wouldn't change the fact that the Autobot didn't know anything of value. He kept to himself in his labs and experimented, tried to make more efficient weaponry and such.  
He didn't plan battles or know any of the higher codes so, in terms of being a useful source of knowledge, Perceptor felt his value was below par. Therefore, if he was being logical, the Autobot knew he wouldn't be allowed to live for very much longer.  
To take his processor off of that dark train of thought, Perceptor decided to observe Starscream who, the microscope thought, was possibly looking a little uncomfortable.  
But then he may have been imagining it.  
The Seeker kept his faceplates neutral but, when his friend caught his optics, he allowed them to soften infinitesimally knowing the observant Autobot would notice. Perceptor didn't stare openly but out of the corner of his optics, and didn't give the Decepticon SIC away.  
When the Commander suddenly slammed his servo down on his armrest, neither jumped. Starscream because he was used to hiding his instinctive reactions from Megatron and Perceptor because he had been watching the large mech's movements so closely. They both waited for the Decepticon Warlord to speak but he didn't.  
Starscream knew he was playing with the Autobot but he was getting a bit infuriated now. Perceptor was clearly scared; couldn't they just get on with things?  
Starscream?  
Perceptor? How on Cybertron do you know my comm frequency? Starscream asked, thrown, but keeping himself outwardly at ease.  
Oh thank Primus that worked. It must be only outside of the cell that I can't communicate to. He also thanked his deity that no alarms appeared to be going off. When they brought Thundercracker in I scanned him for it. Did you get him back, is he alright? The Autobot asked, obviously concerned.  
He's fine regardless of your humans trying to ground him. Starscream returned with more than a little venom, though not aimed at the Autobot.  
… I'm sorry Starscream. Truly I am. The red and blue mech whispered back sincerely.  
I don't blame you; it was not your doing. The pair of them risked a glance at Megatron, but he seemed deep in thought. He might be speaking with Soundwave, checking what information he requires.  
Starscream… I don't know anything, I swear I don't. I haven't been on Earth all that long and I'm not a high-ranking officer. I couldn't possibly be of any use to you.  
Perceptor, you are aware of what's going to happen aren't you? It doesn't matter that you don't have any information, this is Megatron we're discussing. Have you heard the stories?  
Yes. Perceptor answered in a small voice.  
They're all true I can vouch for it, and they don't cover even half of everything he's done. As the Seeker watched the red and blue mech, he was glad the Autobot was a good actor.  
The Decepticon Warlord didn't seem to be noticing anything amiss.  
Just… don't panic and try not to show fear when speaking to him, he's harder on those who seem weak.   
I… will try.  
Finally, Megatron chose to acknowledge his second and prisoner. 'Autobot,' he addressed sounding bored. Perceptor gave the Commander his full attention then tentatively raised a servo. Megatron raised an optic ridge but nodded.  
'Do you follow the Prisoner of War guideline 581?' The red and blue mech asked quietly.  
Megatron was silent for a moment then shrugged, 'why not? It could offer some amusement. What are your requests?'  
'To die on my feet, to have my remains return to my comrades and… some high-grade please? If you wouldn't mind sparing it.' As he spoke, Perceptor's voice, though very quiet, did not tremble and was completely clear.  
Megatron laughed, surprising the other two mechs, 'fine.' He bent down closer to the Autobot keeping their optics locked, smiling when Perceptor shivered slightly, 'you're very polite for an Autobot, rather a novelty. I'll grant your requests if you keep up your good manners.'  
Perceptor nodded, 'thank you.'  
'Master?' Starscream asked, 'perhaps we could indulge in some high-grade now, I have some with me.'  
The Decepticon Warlord smirked at him in answer and his second took three cubes out of his chassis. After he had given one to Megatron he offered Perceptor his cube. You drink now? He questioned, his friend had been teetotal before the war.  
No, but now seems like a good time to start. The microscope responded, shuddering at the burn of Starscream's high-grade. It's so sharp.  
It's my private stash. You should taste Megatron's it would knock you down.  
I don't doubt it. Perceptor softly placed his cube beside him as Megatron suddenly started firing questions at him. Most of what he was asked, as he had predicted, he didn't know and said so.  
Starscream watched the proceedings like a human spectator at a tennis-match. Optics flicking from one mech to the other and back again.  
Every question his leader asked the Autobot responded respectfully (and honestly, that the Seeker could tell, the other mech had never been much of a liar when directly challenged) that he didn't know.  
After a while of this going around in circles, Megatron stood and unbound the red and blue mech, turned him around to face the wall and marched him to it, servo grasping the back of the Autobot's neck and chained him face-front to the wall. 'Starscream?'  
'Yes Sir?'  
'Do you remember those twins?'  
Starscream grimaced, 'the ones who liked jet judo My Lord?'  
'Yesssss.' Megatron hissed, a dark look in his optics, 'do you remember what we did to them?'  
Nodding, a shiver of delight ran through the Seeker at the memory. His leader and himself had made them pay for every single slice of pain they had inflicted on his wings.  
The pain they had put the Autobots through before terminating them had been even more satisfying than usual for the flier, and for his trinemates when he had described it to them later. The SIC met his Commander's optics and the remembered joy vanished. Perceptor?  
Yes?  
Brace yourself, was the only thing Starscream could think to say. The Seeker hoped Megatron didn't mean to go as far as he had done with the unfortunate twins (idiots attacked Skywarp and he had simply teleported them to a Nemesis cell).  
He watched his leader cross the room to a cupboard, as it opened Starscream could see over the larger mech's shoulder what the Decepticon jailers called their 'toys'. As his Commander turned around, a wicked looking hook in his servo, the Seeker forced himself to smile.  
Megatron slowly advanced on the Autobot, drawing out the anxiety. When he finally reached the trembling mech he gently ran the curve of the weapon down Perceptor's spine.  
'What is your rank?' Megatron asked silkily.  
'A scientist, minor-officer,' the Autobot murmured, forcing himself not to flinch away from the cool metal.  
'Ah, so if you can't give us codes, you can give us information on new weaponry or some such, correct?'  
'Nearly all of what I'm doing is still in its prototype or even conceptual stage. None of it may ever be of any use.' The scientist almost-whispered.  
'Still… do tell what you know. It's in your interests Autobot to be helpful, you're not going to be rescued and, as you say, the information you give may never have any worth. What with you soon to be terminated your work might never be completed.' The Warlord took great enjoyment in pointing this out to the bound prisoner and he leant forward to whisper in Perceptor's audios, 'you can either tell me what you know now, while you're in one piece, or you can suffer until you do. I don't think Starscream or myself would mind either way. You'd provide some lovely entertainment of that I'm sure.'  
Perceptor shuttered his optics, 'I can't,' he breathed. 'I won't be responsible for any harm to come to them, I won't.' He shuddered at Megatron's dark chuckle before screaming as the hook gouged into his back, directly behind his spark chamber.  
Starscream winced a little in sympathy as a phantom pain ran down his back, his wings pricked unsettled and slightly distressed.  
Unexpectedly Megatron noticed, something the matter Starscream?  
I'm sorry Master, I was just recalling how you… reprimanded me last night.   
Megatron paused. Go fetch the… shockstick.  
Yes Sir, the Seeker strode over to the cupboard as the larger mech returned his attentions to their prisoner. The Commander twisted the hook round in Perceptor's frame, and a strong scent of energon soon filled the air.  
The liquid coated the Autobot's back and dripped at his pedes.  
The Decepticon Lord then dragged it down the scientist's back, smiling cruelly as the microscope's energon coated his servo and the smaller mech screamed and sobbed.  
Starscream returned to stand beside him and Megatron reached out, placed a servo on the Seeker's wing and handed the flier the hook. 'Let's have a bit of fun...'  
________________________________________  
Cycles later, the Autobot laid at their pedes. There was no need to chain him he was no threat now. Energon stained the cell floor and the 'toys' had been well used.  
But… Perceptor had not broken.  
They had not learnt a thing from him and Starscream respected his old friend for that. Throughout the entire time, the Seeker had kept up a steady dialogue with the other scientist in an effort to keep him sane.  
Megatron reclined in his chair, staring at the agonized Autobot in satisfaction. He rose as the two other mechs watched apprehensively but he didn't head for either of them but the exit. He's no use to us now Starscream. I will consult with Soundwave and be back to end him shortly. The Commander commed.  
Yes Sir, I will stay here if it's all the same to you?  
Megatron's met his subordinate's optics with a callous grin, nodded, and then strode out of the cell-door. Once Starscream was sure the larger mech was gone he eased Perceptor to a sitting position against the wall. 'Perceptor?' He questioned aloud, 'can you speak?'  
'Y-yes I think so,' the Autobot whispered. 'That was… vile.'  
Starscream didn't answer for a klik. 'Yes, yes it was.' To his own surprise, the flier was being truthful.  
'Are you… are you alright?'  
Typical Perceptor, Starscream thought not unkindly, you could hurt him as much as you wanted to but if you were hurt in any way he would be the first to check on you. If you had earned his friendship that is. 'I'll be fine thank you.'  
After a long silence Perceptor spoke up, 'I take it he will use his cannon on me?' He tried to be clinical.  
'More than likely,' Starscream agreed feeling his spark twist, his wings fluttering sadly. The cannon I gave him…  
'I've heard,' the Autobot leant forward slightly to get the Seeker's attention. Starscream's optics had taken on an introverted look that Perceptor wanted to remove. It had never been of any good when Starscream went like that when they were at college together. It meant he was thinking dark and depressed thoughts, and the microscope hated to see his friends in pain. 'That you have been… shot… by it before, did it hurt much? Being shot by his cannon I mean?'  
As if it needed clarification.  
The Seeker seemed to shake himself and nodded, 'for me, yes. But then he's not trying to kill me just punish me so it's supposed to hurt, it might not for you.'  
'Would you laugh at me if I told you I was frightened?'  
'No,' the Seeker stated firmly.  
'Then I'm terrified.' Perceptor admitted staring at the floor.  
'You could… switch factions. Offer to be reprogrammed.' Even as Starscream spoke he knew it would be unlikely Perceptor would agree.  
'I- I couldn't Starscream, would you make me?' Perceptor shuddered, visualising killing his friends.  
'No, you have my word on it,' he wouldn't want his old friend to be different anyway. Some reprogrammed mechs became very… strange and most extremely violent. The Seeker couldn't picture the Autobot like that. In an effort to distract him, the flier asked, 'what were you doing away from your base, why were you crying?'  
The Autobot scientist sighed, optics already dim with pain began to sparkle, almost glitter, with fluid. 'The others. They just wouldn't stop going on about how I was a coward for not taking part in the battles. Said I was too pacifist. I'm an Autobot Starscream, how in Primus's name can I be too pacifist? It was ridiculous… but still… I'm lonely. What with some of their constant taunts and Wheeljack…'  
Starscream had been staring at the microscope throughout his rant, optics wide, that was not how he (nor he was sure any of the others) thought of the Autobot faction.  
It was almost Decepticon-like.  
'Wheeljack? He's still around? How the Pit has he not blown himself up yet?'  
'Luck, I assume. He hasn't changed.' Perceptor attempted to smile.  
'Ah he still loathes me then?' He and Wheeljack had never gotten along even at college. Their views on everything from politics and science to religion and ethics and morality were polar opposites and they would get into blazing arguments if they were left in a room together.  
Perceptor, on the other servo, although their views were different had kept him for lack of a better word, grounded. They had played off of each other until Starscream had been asked to work with Skyfire…  
Perceptor chuckled painfully, 'I would think so, yes.'  
'So… what do you think of the-' squishies '-humans?'  
'Strange but, in many ways, delightful creatures. Very interesting and their planet is a scientist's playground.'  
'I can't help but find them… repulsive. Perhaps if I researched them further…'  
'I would say,' the Autobot said deep in thought, 'talk to one… but then I don't think that would be a good idea. Maybe you could watch or read some human-produced television and books. They may give you an insight.'  
'I have… a couple of humans in my lab that I could converse with. Perhaps, I could look at their produce further. It could be fascinating if done right.'  
'Try not to judge them too harshly, Starscream. They are very new and frightened of what they don't understand. If given- given…' Perceptor faltered slightly, faceplates convulsing as warning lights flashed behind his optics, almost seeming to blind him with their brightness, and internal alarm sounds beat at his processor, '… a chance they could be as great as we were in our Golden Age. They just need time to evolve and to learn.'  
The Decepticon SIC nodded, 'I will think on it.' He was dubious of the Autobot's statements, but his curiosity, as it always did for good or ill, won out.  
Starscream? Are you still in the cell? Megatron commed.  
Yes Master.  
I'm coming now. Have him prepared for my arrival.   
Slowly, the SIC stood, yes sir, as you command. He offered a servo to his friend who got shakily to his pedes, and led him gradually to the wall to the right of the door, so the Autobot had the length of the room in front of him.  
Shortly before the Decepticon Lord entered Starscream squeezed Perceptor's wrist soothingly, unused to comforting someone who was not his trinemate nor Megatron, and stepped away. 'Goodbye,' he murmured, 'I hope you can forgive me.'  
'This is not your doing or your fault, there is nothing to forgive.' Perceptor smiled at him soothingly.  
Starscream smiled tentatively back, 'those fools, saying you were a coward.'  
'Your faction makes the same error with you.'  
'Neither of them deserved us, did they?' Starscream sighed, only half-joking.  
'Perhaps, perhaps not, but I wouldn't have changed anything.' The Autobot leaned back on the wall for support, 'I'm beginning to regret asking to die on my feet, it seems quite illogical now, though dignified I suppose.'  
Before Starscream could say anything in reply, Megatron entered. The Commander paused in the doorway before beckoning Starscream to him. The SIC walked forward cautiously, but relaxed when his leader simply ran a servo softly down his wing, and moved past him.  
Perceptor?  
Yes?  
Try to think of this as a science experiment.  
I could entitle it 'Does getting shot by Decepticon Lord Megatron's cannon hurt like being blown up by Wheeljack?' Perceptor mused, I think it needs work.  
This brought a small smile to Starscream's faceplates. I'll think about it for you.  
Thank you.   
The pair stared at Megatron as he took aim. Starscream backed off a little, not wanting to get caught in the shot. After a moment the Decepticon Warlord fired.  
It was a fatal shot but not quite an instantaneous one, and the Autobot fell convulsing to the ground.  
Starscream? The Autobot scientist commed. I'll give the slagger one thing, he sure can fragging shoot.   
Starscream couldn't help but giggle at the out of character swearing then commed back, does it hurt?   
No it's… it's rather warm actually... Perceptor's optics slowly flickered offline and his frame went still.  
Megatron walked over to his second and manoeuvred him strongly to his seat, offering him high grade and praise as to his performance of the orn.  
'Thank you Master,' he murmured, wings lowered and gaze not quite meeting the tyrant's own.  
________________________________________  
A few cycles later, Starscream stood in a clearing a few miles from the Autobot base, Perceptor's body beside him. On all frequencies he broadcasted Optimus Prime?  
After a brief pause in which he envisioned the Autobots and their humans scrambling around, the Autobot leader responded, Starscream?   
I request a meet. I am alone and unarmed may I ask the same of you?  
What is your purpose?   
Starscream gave the Prime credit, he wasn't as gullible as Megatron thought he was. To deliver your comrade. Perceptor.  
A hostage negotiation?  
The Seeker was glad no one was around to see him wince. No. There was a sudden blast of voices across the comm: insults, threats and incoherent sounds of grief and rage. He heard Optimus yell for quiet and, when he had been obeyed, he agreed to meet the flier alone.  
The wait seemed longer than it could have been and Starscream refused to look down on the Autobot scientist, carrying him here had been more than enough.  
Star? Skywarp sent through the link, concerned.  
You ok big brother? Thundercracker asked.  
I'm fine, just waiting for Prime; remember you both must stay away. He received two affirmatives and a continuous supply of reassurance in the link. How, he thought to himself, do others live without this? In the distance he could see Optimus's alt-form approaching.  
A brief flash of a humiliating fight ran through his processor  
The Prime ripping his arm off, being thrown to the ground by Megatron.  
The Seeker sighed; he always seemed to be someone's punching bag.  
The Autobot leader was crossing the ground fast and seemed to be alone. Quickly, the Decepticon SIC scanned him for weaponry but Optimus had kept his word as far as he could tell.  
Starscream's spark tightened a little as the large mech approached but he carefully kept his composure.  
'Starscream,' Optimus greeted neutrally as he transformed.  
'Prime.'  
'You returned him,' the Autobot half-questioned.  
'It was his request. He invoked Prisoner of War guideline 581.' Starscream wasn't sure how he should be holding himself. This situation felt ridiculously wrong.  
He didn't think that he and Optimus had ever spoken a civil word to each other.  
'And you respected that?'  
The flier bristled, 'yes, we do have some respect for the old ways you know.'  
'What were his other requests?' The Autobot was startled to see the Decepticon sigh and rub his faceplates with a servo.  
'Look… it has been a long few orns,' the flier held up a servo to stop a (guilty?) Optimus from speaking, 'and I wish to go home. These will answer your questions.' He threw the Prime one tape but kept the other in his servo. 'This one is for your optics and audios only Prime but the other I would ask that you play it for your mechs. Perhaps it will teach them that their actions have consequences, though Primus knows they should have learnt better as sparklings.'  
'I will not allow them to be tormented,' Optimus growled in a fair impersonation of his brother. The Seeker sighed and a recording emitted from him of he, Skywarp and Megatron finding Perceptor. 'Why is he crying?' The Autobot asked quietly.  
'You should ask your mechs,' the flier rejoined, 'it was their doing, not ours.' Starscream's wings fluttered and he stared up at the sky, 'I should leave or Megatron will begin to get frustrated.' Optimus inclined his helm and the Decepticon Air Commander took off into the air, transforming as he flew.  
Optimus carried his fallen friend back to their base and, as he entered, gently laid him down in front of his gathered comrades. The Autobot walked over to the computer console and inserted Starscream's tape.  
An edited version of Perceptor's captivity from when he was captured to his death, including his upset outburst of being called a coward, was played to the assembled mechs.  
Starscream and the Autobot's private conversations were not otherwise included.  
Some of the team visibly shrank into themselves as they realised just why the scientist had been alone and vulnerable, and that he had died believing he had been unwanted.  
Prime's faceplates fell and his spark stuttered. Ironhide came forward to rest a servo on his shoulder armour. 'Optimus?' The leader turned and nodded at him before leaving his silent and spark-broken friends behind him.  
A few kliks later, when he was alone in his quarters, Optimus played the second tape which turned out to be an unedited version of the first, including the commed conversations between the two scientists and a final message for him from Starscream:  
'Never let them think he was a coward.'  
________________________________________  
Starscream? The Seeker jumped in his quarters as the Autobot Commander commed him.  
Prime?  
My condolences.   
The Seeker, helm resting on his shoulder armour, thought for a moment before replying. And mine. As soon as the comm-link cut the flier knew that everything was back to normal, at least where he and Optimus were concerned, and went back to his reports.  
Although his optics were unfocussed as he did so.  
________________________________________  
Hope you all liked (not sure that's quite the appropriate word for this chapter) it and please review.   
Author's Notes/Advanced Warnings- I have a few more pre-written chapters of this fic but I wrote them a while ago now and my mood has changed so as I read through and edit each one, while continuing to write new chapters, I may change some bits and pieces as I have done with this chapter so it may not turn out as dark as I originally thought it would be. I do intend to have Megatron go a bit horrible for a while when he inevitably finds out about Starscream's friendship with Perceptor and other things come to a head between them. There will also be some mentions of depression later on in the human character of Sarah and Starscream.   
But please bear with me ok? I much prefer happy endings even if it takes a while to get there.  
Does anyone remember/know of the Armada minicon character of Swindle?  
Thanks and I'll see you all soon.


	11. Lessons

Author's Notes- Hello again here is the eleventh chapter.   
Special thanks to Iwanita, confuzzled-neko and Chibi Oro for their reviews, to everyone who favourited and alerted this story and Kibble Beast for betaing :-).   
Italics- Flashbacks/thoughts/memories/link speak.   
Bold- Comm speak.  
Warnings- Mentions of character death, Transformer swearing and violence.  
Disclaimer- I do not own Transformers or its characters.  
Beta- The lovely Kibble Beast.  
All mistakes are my own.  
I hope you all enjoy it.  
________________________________________  
Chapter Eleven- Lessons  
The hatchling chittered happily in Starscream's servos as they soared across the sky. The little flier stared hypnotised at the clouds, reaching out to feel the air currents run through his small claws.  
He squealed when the larger Seeker suddenly dived, clutching at Starscream as everything rushed past, then began to chirp excitedly when they levelled out. Mountains and woodland shot by beneath them and the smaller flier's wings spread to feel the air stroke them, cooing with delight at the speed they were going.  
Starscream chuckled quietly and zigzagged to hear the hatchling make small sounds of happiness, then looped-the-loop to make the tiny mech cry out with joy.  
Revelling in the hatchling's glee, the Air Commander was mostly content.  
Through research he had learnt how to forge a creator/sparkling link between the small Seeker and himself.  
Back on Cybertron solar cycles ago, the SIC and his trine had been created by the All-Spark so they were made of the same spark and deliberately formed to fit together, but Seekers who had creators had to find trinemates that they could link to on their own ('created' trines were rare) and until then formed a temporary trine link with their creators to keep them sane.  
If Starscream had been the little one's creator the bond would have been automatic, but there was a way described in the old texts for adoptive creators to form a link.  
It turned out to be a simple enough matter. All Starscream had to do to open a link between them was to extend his connection to his brothers to the smaller Seeker. This did not connect the sparkling to TC or Warp, only to Starscream as trine-leader.  
When a suitable trio of Seekers had found each other they could perform a special kind of spark merge to create a trine-bond. This in turn allowed the creators to gently break the temporary bond and their sparklings to live their lives as proper and complete Seekers.  
Starscream had now bought the little one some time at least to find two others to form a proper trine with.  
The earlier trinemates were found the better in any case.  
Admittedly they were not a complete trine but Starscream was far older so his presence in their link would, in the short term, make up for the lack of a third member.  
The SIC hadn't included Thundercracker or Skywarp as a third as, if he did have to offline the little flier, it would be bad enough for them to feel the pain of a link break vicariously through him, let alone the full force of it.  
So wrapped up in his thoughts, and not expecting anyone to be out here anyway when there had been none before, the Seeker didn't check his scanners and so nearly stalled his engines when Optimus Prime commed him from right beneath the pair of fliers.  
Starscream, we need to talk. The Air Commander landed before the Autobot in a defensive stance, cradling the hatchling to his chassis. 'Why do you come here?' The Prime questioned.  
The Decepticon hesitated before answering, 'I have kin buried here and I visit them. Why are you here?'  
How did you find me? I always make sure I am concealed from Autobot technology.  
'Humans a few miles down from here have been reporting that they occasionally see a strange unknown jet every couple of months or so, I was looking for you and followed a hunch.'  
Starscream didn't know whether to laugh or get annoyed with himself, oh how absolutely ridiculous to be caught out in such a way. 'And now that you have found me?'  
'I want a temporary truce to talk about Perceptor,' Optimus answered honestly.  
'It's not his right to agree to such things,' Megatron stated coolly to the side of them, making them both jump.  
Starscream took one look at his Commander and the only thought he had was, oh frag.   
Quickly he placed the hatchling on the floor, told it through their trine link to hide and cut the connection.  
The Decepticon Warlord stepped out from the trees having tracked Starscream there to see what he was up to when he left the Nemesis alone at this time each meta-cycle or so and to hopefully have an opportunity to have a private chat with his Seeker in what could have the potential to be a neutral environment for them in the future.  
When he felt his brother's presence he had landed out of sight in a nearby clearing so he could hear what was being said, anger quickly building within him.  
Glaring at his second and tanks churning painfully to Starscream's apparent betrayal, he watched as his second automatically stepped back from him. Striding forward he picked up his SIC by the throat and forced him into a kneeling position, bringing forth his fusion cannon. 'Your wings, Seeker.'  
Shuddering, Starscream obeyed and, though the knowing made it hurt no less, he was not surprised when Megatron shot several holes in the two appendages. Screaming, the flier writhed on the ground. Master mercy,he implored through the comm, please!  
'What have you been hiding from me, my dear Starscream?' The tyrant snarled.  
Nothing! I buried the hatchling here, that's all. He found me by chance. Please My Liege, don't! The Air Commander shuffled backwards trying in vain to avoid the Warlord's attack.  
'I don't think that's quite all, is it my second? Your relations with this offline Autobot spring to processor…' Megatron glared venomously at his second.  
Solar cycles before I'd even met you! I've done no wrong Master, I swear I haven't.  
The Decepticon Lord was tempted to reduce his Air Commander to an energon covered sobbing mess at his pedes but, out of the corner of an optic, he could see his brother watching them.  
Optimus seemed struck still and silent and the Warlord thought there may have been sympathy in the Autobot Commander's optics for his second.  
'This is how you keep your subordinates in line Optimus.' Megatron placed a pede on Starscream's chassis and put weight on it until it shattered inwards beneath him, smirking as his second shrieked.  
Optimus narrowed his optics, 'I would never-'  
'No, you wouldn't, and that's why you have no control over your own mechs.' Megatron subspaced his cannon and stepped away from Starscream's trembling form.  
Then the Decepticon Lord took off into the air, reasonably certain his brother wouldn't kill his second and knowing he needed to calm down. Of course Starscream wouldn't have deliberately met up with Optimus, even his treacherous tendencies didn't extend that far.  
It was just the thought, he assumed, of his SIC having a close friendship with an Autobot that riled him. And the jealousy that was building in his circuits against his Seeker's family wasn't helping matters.  
Master! Megatron come back, please! He'll kill me! His flier screamed for him through the comm.  
So be it. Anger overran his logic capacitors before he could contain it.  
You… you slag-  
Careful, my dear Starscream, careful. The Warlord warned.  
Careful? Careful? You've left me to die!  
Yes, and I still have your trinemates, Megatron snarled coldly, just imagine Seeker what fun I could have with them…  
… Don't hurt them, Megatron, please. They haven't-  
-Done anything? The Commander completed, no they never have, have they? Then he cut the comm link on his distraught second.  
Starscream laid prostate on the ground for a moment before dragging himself into a sitting position.  
Beyond that, all he could do was watch the Prime and wait.  
Optimus, though, seemed to be having a war with himself. He paced back and forth in small strides and brought his weapon out of subspace, before looking at the abandoned Decepticon and putting it away. 'I… offered you a truce. You being injured doesn't change that,' the red and blue mech murmured more to himself than to the Seeker and sat down opposite him.  
You've been known to kill injured Decepticons at your mercy; you're far darker than you used to be. Starscream commed, not having the strength enough (or trusting his voice even if he did) to speak aloud.  
Before Optimus could respond the hatchling came running out of the undergrowth, chittering mournfully. He went to butt Starscream's chassis but, seeing how damaged it was, climbed up to rub his faceplates to the larger Seeker's instead.  
There's no need to worry about me. These injuries are nothing; I'll be as good as new in no time.* The older Seeker comforted through their link, reasoning that there was no point in worrying the little one even more.  
The Prime sat opposite him, staring incredulously at the tenderness between the two, the hatchling nuzzling and the Decepticon SIC obviously trying to soothe it, despite clearly being in pain and distressed himself. 'Where's his trine?'  
He doesn't have one, they never hatched. His optics watched the small seeker and he thought to himself, I don't know how we're going to get home little one. He suddenly looked up, worried, at the Prime.  
'I won't harm the hatchling Starscream,' the Autobot assured and the flier relaxed. 'I… don't condone what happened to Thundercracker… the others didn't attack you as you left because I ordered them not to, what they did was wrong and I apologise.' The wounded mech nodded, optics fluttering closed, and Optimus decided to drop the matter. 'I want to know what Perceptor was like, before the war.'  
The closest mech outside my trine I have ever had to a friend. What exactly do you want to know? He was quiet, studious. When we worked on projects together sometimes I'd have to drag him to his berth to recharge and bring him energon, because he'd completely forget to look after himself. A good friend, loyal. Always there when you needed him.   
But with Primus now, somewhere Starscream knew he would never be allowed entry.  
He'd make sure I took regular flights when we worked long projects as sometimes I would forget and make myself ill. I'd stake my spark that he never wilfully hurt anybody in his existence. Though there were many who hurt him even then… they found him too quiet and his association with me didn't help matters. Very shy and…  
'Brave.'  
Yes. And highly protective of those he cared about. A flash of Perceptor, beaten and bleeding energon on the college library floor for defending him, crossed his processor.  
'What sort of life did he have, was he… happy?' Optimus's engines thrummed anxiously.  
I believe he was. He enjoyed the scientist's life. The pleasure of understanding the new and the old. Of learning to make things work. Of seeing something take form under his servos. His work was almost magical and he adored being the magician. Yes, he was happy I'm sure, before the war. He lost so many friends so early on when it started.   
It had hurt to see his friend in so much pain.  
I… was a neutral in the beginning (though that new strange faction had been… oddly attractive) so we tried to keep in contact but it was spasmodic at best then Megatron found me and that was that.   
It was a relief to talk to someone and not be burdening his trinemates in doing so, and there was certainly no one else he could talk to on the Nemesis.  
'Megatron found you?' Optimus questioned, trying to ignore that his enemy had probably known more about his comrade than he had done. Perceptor had hardly spoken to anyone about anything personal, to his knowledge, in the Autobots.  
But then... some mechs had come forward to speak to him in private, to make confessions, and if that was how the Autobot scientist had been treated regularly then it was no wonder that he'd never felt able to trust anyone with intimate knowledge.  
Yes. Did you, with all the horror stories at the time, honestly believe that I had sought him out? I may get curious about certain things, but I wasn't quite that suicidal.  
Optimus raised his optic ridges but didn't answer. Instead he stood and stretched, 'as long as you cause no harm I will not hinder you in coming here.' The Autobot stared down at Starscream, unsure of what to do, when he heard his brother's thrusters approaching.  
The Seeker heard them too and froze, then quickly cupped the hatchling against his chassis. The red and blue mech inclined his helm to the Decepticon SIC and left in the opposite direction to Megatron's return.  
The Decepticon Commander landed a few yards from his Seeker and took in his status. Coming forward he settled in his brother's place and seemed to be waiting for something. Starscream sighed inwardly, I'm sorry My Lord. I should not have lied to you.  
'No, but you've learnt your lesson this time haven't you?'  
Yes Sir.   
Megatron stood and leaned over Starscream, 'why?'  
I didn't know what you'd do.  
'Really, my dear second, lying already?' The Warlord growled.  
No! Alright, I lied because I knew you'd be angry with me. Bravery, born of rage and hurt, streamed through him. And it wouldn't have been fair! How can I help who my friends were before the war? And I was still obedient to you wasn't I? Why don't you ever give me a chance to explain like you do for all the others? This wasn't fragging fair! The Air Commander growled and dug his talons into his palms, part of him frightened and making his frame brace itself for further blows, part of him angry with himself that his rant had ended on a humiliating sob.  
The Commander's optics narrowed but then he nodded and sighed to himself. He bent over and leaned his Seeker against a tree. 'Starscream,' Megatron caught his second's optics,'if our little agreement is to work you really must trust me more. With your past can you truly blame me if I think the worst when you lie to me?'  
… No I suppose not. Starscream reluctantly conceded.  
'And… you were right I should not have jumped to conclusions so easily…' He couldn't quite bring himself to admit that he was jealous of the deactivated Autobot and the apparent easy relationship he had shared with Starscream even after so long apart and the events of the war. Not out loud at least. And that part of him had felt irrationally betrayed because of it. 'I… am sorry Starscream.'  
The SIC gave a small smile. This was progress.  
Of a sort.  
Megatron had never apologised to him before, not in words; never verbally conceded to being wrong.  
'Why didn't you tell me you knew him?' The Decepticon Lord asked, curious despite himself.  
It would have been like admitting treason. That and, do you not remember Master? That I was a neutral with Autobot friends… I suppose acquaintances would be more apt, when you met me? Did you think I had never met them before in battle, deactivated them even? Perceptor was closer to me than the rest I admit and… I am grieving. But what would my telling you have achieved? It would still have played out as it did.  
Grieving an Autobot? Megatron felt unsettled by that admission but then he realised that Starscream… was being completely honest with him, was opening up to him, and his spark contentedly swirled in its chamber. The Warlord realised he would have to get used to hearing things he perhaps didn't want to hear in exchange for the Seeker's trust.  
He could live with that.  
Perhaps he could speak to Soundwave and maybe even Skywarp again about his SIC, and the telepath might have some advice about his temper as well.  
It was about time he let his third know he was back in his Commander's good graces.  
'We could have reprogrammed him Starscream,' The Decepticon Lord reminded, 'if he had a use I would not have objected.'  
No. I promised him I wouldn't let it happen to him. And he wouldn't have been himself anymore would he? He may have become mindless, even feral. I… wouldn't have wanted him like that. The flier sounded saddened.  
That was fair enough Megatron supposed, but then he vented. He had caused his second pain again and not just physically this time. It was something he alone would have to work on. It was his gladiatorial programming that was causing this issue after all.  
Hadn't he thought recently he could exchange Starscream's screams for his giggling? That idea had some merit at least.  
'Perhaps we could… call it even now? Start again?' Megatron proposed quietly, engines thrumming barely audibly.  
The Air Commander met his leader's optics hesitantly before nodding. Alright My Liege we will try again.  
In Starscream's opinion they were probably going to have to 'start again' many times through the solar cycles but he had known that, as we was sure his leader had, from the very beginning.  
They could get it right, they could.   
The Commander knew he would have to speak with Starscream about his grounding and, Megatron was sure, a host of other matters. It was ridiculous to keep putting it off as he had been doing.  
But now, looking at the energon his Seeker was quickly losing from his wings and chassis was clearly not the time. At least he would have a legitimate excuse to visit his flier's quarters while Starscream recovered so they could talk properly.  
'Very well Starscream, we shall begin again.' Megatron offered his second an encouraging smile.  
The Air Commander smiled weakly back and didn't struggle when his leader picked him up to carry him back to the Nemesis.  
As Starscream slipped unconscious he had a mental image of himself being carried into the Base by Megatron. Again. Dear Primus, this is getting to be humiliating.   
The hatchling curled up on his trine-leader's smashed chassis beneath a servo. Leader Megatron bad, the little flier thought and slipped into an unhappy recharge.  
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Hope you all liked it and please review.   
Thanks and I'll see you all soon.  
* Kudos if you get where the quote's from :-).


	12. The Squishies

Author's Notes- Hello again here is the twelth chapter.   
Special thanks to Iwanita, confuzzled-neko, purrpix, poisonouswaffle'n-stuffs and Chibi Oro for their reviews, to everyone who favourited and alerted this story and Kibble Beast for betaing :-).   
Italics- Flashbacks/thoughts/memories/link speak.   
Bold- Comm speak.  
Warnings- Transformer swearing, description of the death of humans including a child, violence, talk of depression, and mentions of naked humans.  
Disclaimer- I do not own Transformers or its characters.  
Beta- The lovely Kibble Beast.  
All mistakes are my own.  
It's a bit longer than normal and I hope you all enjoy it.  
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Chapter Twelve- The Squishies  
Starscream lay on his berth, his internals repairing slowly from his Commander's assault. The hatchling lay on his repaired chassis chittering softly. Skywarp and Thundercracker were flying and the Air Commander and small flier could feel, through them, the wind on their wings as they soared, the sudden drops and free-falls, the joy of every moment in the air.  
But, most of all, they could feel the absolute freedom.  
The SIC laid one servo over the hatchling, caressing its wings gently, and used the other servo to hold the notes he was reading. His humans, the ones that were left, had provided some fascinating information on his observation tapes which his middle brother had brought for him to watch. Thundercracker was caring for them while Starscream recovered.  
Putting the notes aside, the Seeker stared at the human television Skywarp had stolen for him, along with some DVDs, so he could watch some human productions. The youngest Seeker had also found some human literature for him to read, a couple of non-fictions so that he could at once find out more about the science of the fleshlings and keep his processor occupied in his confinement, and some fictions for amusement.  
Megatron had come to visit him earlier, wanting to talk about their past, but Hook had already given him a sedative and he had fallen into recharge mid-conversation. He thought he remembered hearing the word 'grounded' and the next time he had opened his optics his Commander was gone.  
A letter had been left on his desk saying that Megatron would visit him again in a few cycles time for them to try again.  
The Air Commander wasn't sure he wished to speak about things long over, that he had spent so much time and effort to, if not get over, then to at least live with.  
The sparkling's tiny wings twitched and he squealed quietly, upset, as a human man seemed to devour the face of a human woman on the screen. Starscream stared at it curiously and it whimpered, curling up in a tight ball beneath the second's servo. The ending credits began to slide up the screen and the Air Commander aimed the remote at it to silence it.  
Addressing the little one Starscream murmured, 'humans do some really strange things don't they hmm?' The smaller Seeker chittered in agreement, nuzzling. The SIC leant back awkwardly putting his arm behind his helm, hissing lowly at how stiff it was. The sparkling's helm emerged and looked up at him pityingly before cheeping comfortingly.  
Starscream smiled as he felt a burst of warmth come through the link from the little one, and he responded in kind, stroking the little wings with the tips of his talons as he did so. 'You need a designation,' the larger Seeker stated. 'Would you like that?' The silver sparkling twittered, optics widening excitedly, 'well then, I'll have to think on that won't I?'  
The Seeker stared up at his ceiling and sighed as the little flier drifted into recharge, small tweeting falling silent.  
Starscream sat up slowly and placed the sparkling near the head of his berth. Rigidly, he reached out to swap the DVDs over and, sitting on the side of his berth, waited for the title menu to load up.  
Pushing himself backwards he leaned back against the wall and stretched out, his legs dangling over the edge. His youngest brother had probably had Thundercracker's influence when picking out the human discs as the choices seemed, for the most part at least, quite adequate.  
As the DVD booted its menu, Starscream's helm fell on one side and his optics screwed up in confusion as a pretty and young, but barely dressed, human woman crawled across the screen, winking coyly at the SIC. In what might be construed as the biggest mistake he had made in solar cycles, the Seeker clicked play.  
A room came shakily into view and a woman walked in and began to chat almost inaudibly with the cameraman off-screen. As the scene progressed Starscream became gradually more uncomfortable and bewildered. When the woman stripped off completely and clambered up suggestively onto a bed he was shocked, remembering how Sarah and the other women had protested when the Seeker told them to remove their clothing so he could wash them.  
'It's just not… I mean you're a male… it's… we're just not supposed to strip off in front of you.'   
'It is impolite in human society?'  
'At the very least. It is only really acceptable between those of the same gender if it is between you and your parent, child or partner.' Sarah had explained over the louder and less eloquent protests of the others.  
'Partner? Your mate?'  
'Yes.'  
Of course he'd gotten his way with a bit of persuasion and the promise that he would avert his optics as much as he was able (some of the sounds they had made had hurt even his audios until he had done so).  
After being with Megatron for so many solar cycles the SIC knew when to pick his battles.  
Starscream watched until a naked man walked into the room and closed in on the woman. As awful spark-churning sounds filled the room and the screen was dominated by human flesh, Starscream stared, frozen to the spot, horror-struck.  
A tiny chirp shocked him into moving and he looked down at the sparkling who was looking between him and the screen. The little Seeker's optics welled up and Starscream quickly scooped him up and placed him in his chassis.  
Incoherent words came through the link to the older Seeker and Starscream thought it sounded like the sparkling was afraid the woman was being eaten. Where on Cybertron has he got the idea that humans eat each other?  
After reassuring the sparkling in the link and warming his chassis temperature so the little mech would fall back into recharge, Starscream realised the DVD was still playing and frantically paused it, realised the image had simply froze on the screen, and finally pressed the stop button.  
The SIC's optics fluttered shut before he opened them as his processor provided him with someone to blame and he yelled through the comm-link.  
Skywarp!  
After reprimanding his youngest brother, Starscream tiredly made his way down to his lab. The sparkling dozed happily in his chassis, curled up right at the back, as close to the older Seeker's spark chamber as he could get.  
With as much dignity as he could summon up, the Air Commander walked over to his desk where the humans were. As expected they were deeply asleep, most of them in protective balls, holding their legs to their chests.  
Starscream picked up Sarah's jar and as he shook it slightly to wake her up a thought struck him, why were the majority of these humans found on their own if humans were pack animals? Was the lack of companionship and support from other humans why they had suffered before their selection to be brought here?  
The human looked up at him blearily, recognition soon filling the young woman's eyes as she greeted him quietly to avoid waking the others, 'Starscream.' She didn't ask where he had been, it was clear from the way he moved that he had been injured and from what little she knew of the flying alien she thought it would be a bad idea to call his pride into question by asking him what had happened.  
'I was led to believe,' the Seeker stated, removing Sarah from her small home and lowering her on to his desk, 'that humans were pack animals, why then were you alone?'  
'I wasn't always…' she trailed of sitting down and rubbing her eyes, 'I had a husband called Michael and a daughter- Caroline,' she had been taught in counselling to be able to say this, 'but they died in a car crash.' Now for the bit that all the expensive therapists that she had seen had failed to discourage her off, 'I was driving and it was my fault.'  
'You lost your pack, how then do you live?' Again the thought of broken links crossed his processor and he was glad when he remembered that, in that regard and situation, Megatron would be his safety net.  
'I don't really. I had tablets to help me but they never worked and made me tired so I stopped taking them.' Even if Starscream was asking purely out of pitiless curiosity, the young woman was grateful to have someone to talk to who listened and actually heard the things she said.  
The Seeker looked down at her before saying, amusement in his voice, 'you'd better hope I never have to take you to our medic Hook, he would absolutely loathe to have you as a patient if you didn't do as you were told. Did you know,' he picked her up and brought the human close to his mouth to whisper confidingly in her ear, 'that even Megatron doesn't like to cross him?'  
Sarah stared at him in disbelief. She had known of the Commander very soon after entering the Nemesis and was well-aware of the fear he caused in others. It was like a shadow across the base and even her and her fellow humans knew when the Decepticon Lord was in a bad mood as the very air they breathed seemed to suffocate them.  
It was more than implied during those instances that they remain silent until the storm had passed, praying to any deity they believed in or had heard of that no attention would be called to them.  
'No,' she giggled putting her hand across her mouth in the same way she used to with her colleagues at work.  
'Yes,' Starscream smirked before turning serious again and putting her down. 'Now, tell me about your,' he remembered the correct phrase, 'family before they died.' He would not openly agree with the little fleshling of being responsible for the loss as he could not quite imagine what it would be like to kill, inadvertently or deliberately, Thundercracker, Skywarp or the little Seeker recharging inside of him.  
He'd sooner turn his own null-rays on himself than harm them.  
'Caroline was just starting school. She didn't like pink or purple, like the other girls, she liked orange and red. Everything had to be bright and she never wanted to be the same as all the other little girls her age. If they had dolls, she wanted Action Men and water pistols. She loved jewellery and playing with my make-up though. Loved looking beautiful, not that she ever didn't, not to me. She never walked anywhere she was always skipping. Her favourite story was Mulan and she always liked the evil dragon in it more than anything else. She thought he was lovely; was always fascinated with him. She had green eyes, like Michael, but brown hair like mine. Even when she was really small she liked puzzles; putting blocks into the right shaped hole and things like that. It would keep her occupied for hours and hours…'  
The human woman's eyes glazed over and tears blossomed in the little orbs as she thought about her lively daughter trapped in the wreckage of their family car and bleeding. Her little hands trapped and twisted in the contorted metal.  
Starscream stared and, awkwardly, picked up the fleshling and cradled her to his chassis, chittering soothingly as he would do with his adopted hatchling. 'Hush she's in-' where did humans believe they go? It wouldn't be the Well of All Sparks; they don't have such things…   
The Decepticon quickly accessed the internet internally and found, frustratingly, that as there were so many human religions there were many different interpretations of the afterlife. 'She's safe,' he amended, 'should we, the Decepticons, ever conquer Earth she may well have been lost to you anyway.' Then the Seeker carried on clicking to her and stroking her back gently until the little being fell asleep against his cool metal.  
Gently, he put her back in her jar and dropped a rag in with her to serve as a blanket.  
Starscream left his lab with his spark whirling in its chamber as his ideals conflicted with his scientific knowledge. The amount of human civilians he'd killed over the last few solar cycles were more than he could be bothered to count.  
He didn't include the soldiers though.  
They were the human's version of warriors and, as such, even as feeble as they were it was kill or be killed. He didn't regret ending them. However… if, as he was starting to believe, humans had bonds then he was guilty of something he had never wanted to be responsible for.  
He had broken bonds between beings that were far more fragile than he was…  
It was necessary sometimes in a war situation but the Seeker had killed innocents for sport and entertainment. But, on the other servo, he was a Decepticon. An evil cruel sparkless mech who had killed countless beings and humans were beneath his race.  
The humans had tormented his leader for many solar cycles and deserved punishment but then… Megatron tortured his second-in-command whenever the fancy struck him so should he really feel that bad for the older mech?  
Humans could use their ignorance or fear as an excuse for what they had done but, surely, his kind should know better? Then again, Starscream could understand his Commander's thirst for vengeance. For the same reasons that he sometimes loathed the larger mech and…  
There was one thing that he could never forgive the humans for even if he did learn to empathise with them…  
It was best not to think of it. It only brought him pain and caused a rage in him that could never possibly be satisfied. It was much better to focus on the sparkling. The little one needed a permanent solution to his lacking of a trine and a designation.  
They only had two members as it was in their improvised trine. If they had a third member then Starscream would be given ample time to form a proper solution. But he couldn't risk the others and not only that but one would be offended if he asked the other to become part of his secondary trine.  
Dismally, the Air Commander headed back to his quarters. He would have gone for a flight but Hook had forbidden it for at least another two orns yet. The Seeker had compensated for his need for the sky through his trine-bond and through being sedated for parts of the time.  
As he reached his berthroom he saw some new DVDs waiting for him and that perked up the scientist a little.  
The discs mainly consisted of human fictional stories such as The Picture of Dorian Gray (he had immensely enjoyed the book so it was nice of his trinemates to find the film adaptation for him) and he put it on to watch, fascinated by the elements of human nature shown and the mystery of the picture.  
For a human creation, it was quite a good story.  
After it was over he put in The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and chuckled at the betrayal Dorian perpetrated although he winced when Gray met his comeuppance. Beings like he and the would have been immortal never seemed to win.  
In the middle of the small pile he found a DVD dedicated to life in a human hospital.  
Curious, he put it in and pressed play. About an hour and twenty minutes in a procedure came up that set the Seeker's processor whirring. It was about heart transplants and the operation itself was detailed and portrayed vividly on the screen.  
Seeker sparklings made from the All Spark's power were made of the same spark, the equivalent of a human heart.  
It could be possible…  
Interrupting his thoughts his trine suddenly appeared before him and, before the eldest could protest, took his arms and Skywarp warped them all into space with the trine-leader between them. As they held Starscream up in the air the Seeker at first looked bewildered but joy quickly overcame it as he allowed his brothers to carry him around the Nemesis. Sighing happily the silver mech closed his optics and smiled.  
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Megatron was heading for his second's quarters when he noticed his Elite Trine out of the window. His optics locked on to how the two younger Seekers were holding his SIC and how he hung limp in their grasp, so unthinkingly.  
This was what he meant when he thought Seeker trines possessed Autobot traits. They relied on and trusted each other completely, linked intrinsically on a level the Warlord knew that he would never quite understand.  
He felt his small bond with his brother gave him some insight however he knew that he could live without the other's existence and vice versa.  
Starscream, on the other servo, would deactivate if he lost his brothers.  
How did the Seeker exist with that knowledge? That his life was always in the servos of someone else.  
Megatron knew now that he should never have ordered Skywarp to be left behind that orn but he hadn't known that the other two truly couldn't have obeyed him. He had had a Seeker air force before Starscream of course but at the time he had only known that they were of a warrior make. To research into the links they were sparked with only occurred to him after Starscream had been grounded.  
But…  
The SIC and his trine were entirely faithful to each other, always had been, a long time before the Decepticon Lord had even met Starscream. Even at the risk of death one would try to protect the others from harm in the hopes that the remaining members were able to reconstitute a new trine before their sparks extinguished.  
And Starscream- his Seeker, his second-in-command, his Air Commander- was the trine-leader.  
And this role seemed to exceed all others.  
As proved time and again he would do absolutely anything for his trine as the very core of his basic programming compelled him to; that and he genuinely loved his trine. Even that little hatchling.  
Even an Autobot held some of his affection.  
More than once the Commander had considered seeing if it was possible to reprogramme his SIC to rid the Seeker of those vile affections but then... it wouldn't be Starscream anymore would it?  
He wanted his faithful capable friend back, not a drone. The two other Seekers seemed to get that side of the Air Commander effortlessly but the Warlord had to work so hard for every scrap he got from his flier.  
Primus knew what Starscream hid from him; most of it would probably be enough to get any other mech deactivated.  
Come to think of it he had almost had Starscream reprogrammed once. How the Seeker had got him to relent still baffled him.  
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Megatron rapped gently on his SIC's door. Normally he would bang his fist against it in temper but there would be no need for violent actions to control his second after this orn.   
Although he would miss the banter he and Starscream often had the Commander knew this was for the best. Once they neared the area where these sorts of things, the things Megatron had on his processor, were done he would tell the Seeker what was to come. Honesty in compensation for betrayal.  
Starscream answered the door and looked at him warily before inclining his helm and standing aside to allow his leader entrance.  
Megatron shook his helm and smiled in what he knew to be a disarming way then placed his servo on the smaller mech's shoulder armour. 'Come for a stroll with me my dear second, we have business to discuss.'   
The Air Commander nodded and smiled back weakly. The Warlord watched as the flier locked up his quarters then started off at a brisk pace with his SIC right behind him. Even though the Decepticon Lord had said he wanted to talk he remained silent until they entered a more remote and less used part of the base.   
Sensing that Starscream was becoming anxious, he had tortured the flier enough times by now to be able read his emotions with ease, Megatron stopped dead in the centre of the corridor almost causing his SIC to walk into his back and turned to face Starscream.   
The Seeker instinctively took a step back when he saw the intense look on his leader's faceplates. 'Starscream,' Megatron addressed him and stepped closer to breach the gap his second had made between them, 'are you aware of the function this area serves?'   
The Air Commander looked around them, having apparently been simply grimly following his leader, then froze and shook his helm slowly; not because he didn't recognise where they were but because he did.  
And he was frightened, it was written plainly across his faceplates.  
Perceiving that his second was about to bolt, the larger mech took a firm grip on the Seeker's arm. 'Don't make this harder than it needs to be,' he ordered quietly, 'it won't hurt I give you my word. You will be sedated throughout and Soundwave is an expert in this you know he is.'   
The Seeker trembled and began to struggle. Annoyed, Megatron lifted him up by the arms and shook him roughly, 'you will obey me!' Whimpering, Starscream went still bar a light shivering throughout his frame. Lowering the winged mech to the floor, the Warlord wrapped an arm around the Air Commander's shoulders, 'hush now, I'll be there throughout the procedure you won't be alone.'  
The smaller Decepticon turned pleading optics up to his leader, 'please don't do this to me! Let me remain myself, please!' He whispered frantically.  
'Starscream,' Megatron sighed, 'I've shown you mercies of recent that I should not have done. I have to ensure that you will not use your skills against me, that I need not have to watch you constantly. I lack the time and the motivation to do so.'  
'Why do you keep punishing me for the same thing over and over again? You know how much I suffered…'  
The Commander sighed again, 'I'm not punishing you, I'm keeping you in line so you don't repeat your previous error but I think we both know a more permanent solution is necessary.'  
The flier automatically reached for his vocaliser then quickly lowered his servo, 'what… what will be taken from me?'  
Megatron decided to lie a little. He did mean to completely rebuild Starscream's personality, as he would an Autobot in the Seeker's place. It wasn't as if his flier would remember afterwards anyway, 'I find a few of your personality traits undesirable and those are the ones which will be removed.'  
'You intend to make me a drone,' the smaller mech whispered horrified.  
'No!' The Commander asserted firmly, 'you will retain much of your current self and of course your scientific and flying skills.' It was only a half-lie and while he had originally intended to be entirely upfront with his SIC, it seemed more merciful to keep some things hidden now that the situation had presented itself. 'Come now, you know trying to resist my will is foolish, why not make this easier on yourself? Walk into the lab with me like the proud Decepticon I expect you to be.'  
Starscream seemed to shrink in on himself before saying barely audibly, 'you're lying to me aren't you? You're going to take my entire self away from me. My memories, my personality… just everything.'  
Now, despite his reputation as a sparkless inCybertronian monster Megatron could feel pity, he just chose more often than not to repress such a weak emotion, and the issue seldom came up as he hardly ever felt such things anymore anyway.  
Pulling his second into a disused room, the Commander pulled the Seeker in close in an attempt to give comfort. 'It will not hurt,' he repeated, 'and you will not be alone. I… will miss our repartee Starscream. You and Soundwave are the only mechs around here that I can get a decent conversation out of. It is a shame that your lack of decorum and fear around the others has ruined our good company.'  
'But I'm terrified of you,' Starscream gasped incredulously, 'the others see it that's why they laugh at and ridicule me. They know that,' the Seeker stopped midsentence and clearly changed his intended utterance, 'they know I am seldom in your good graces and use it to their advantage.'  
Raising an optic ridge, Megatron decided to let whatever the flier had been about to say slide and stroked his Air Commander's wing, 'this is the Decepticons my dear Starscream.'  
'I know My Lord, I know,' the Commander's SIC murmured tiredly.  
The larger mech took Starscream's arm and led him over to a couple of chairs at the far side of the room. 'Soundwave tells me,' he began to bring the subject back to the matter at hand, 'that your bond with your wingmates is irremovable, as irritating as it is. You will not lose your trine.'  
The Seeker was silent for a little while before asking, misery clear in his tone, 'have I not pleased you at all Master? Has nothing I've done been satisfactory to you at all?'  
'You're a capable and skilled servant that's not what's in question my second. Your loyalty and reliability are what is in need of correction.'  
Starscream met his leader's optics resignedly, 'please don't take my sparklinghood from me, that's all I ask, Master please.'  
'Starscream,' Megatron closed his optics, this was more difficult than he thought it would be. They had been comrades and good friends for solar cycles. It wasn't as if he was taking this step lightly or that he hadn't debated the issue with himself over and over again. 'I need a second that possesses your talents but does not critique everything I do. When I require your opinion I will ask for it. It is bad for morale and the stability of the army when you challenge me and, more than that, I grow weary of it Starscream!' His voice had risen to a shout by the end of his little speech and his fists were clenched on the armrests of the chair. 'You ask why I punish you? Why do you make me punish you?'  
'I don't know,' the flier said quietly.  
'Don't you dare lie to me!'  
'Please-' The Commander shot off his chair, grabbed his second and slammed him into the nearest wall, the flier's pedes dangled off the ground helplessly.  
'You think I'm too hard on you? That my punishments are uncalled for? That you suffer under me? You know nothing of true pain, nothing! Primus I should have rid myself of you solar cycles ago!' There was a heavy silence for a moment then, to Megatron's shock, Starscream began to cry, fluid running in rivers down from his optics.   
Confused and anger receding, the Warlord again lowered his Seeker to the floor. He hadn't hurt the flier, not really. It was nothing compared to what Starscream had gone through in the past and yet here he was bawling like a hatchling.   
After a few moments of not knowing what to do, he pulled Starscream into a self-conscious one-armed embrace. 'Hush, quieten down now.'   
His Seeker clutched at him, shaking and sobbing uncontrollably. 'Please don't reprogramme me. Please, I'm sorry.'  
Megatron closed his optics conflicted, listening to his subordinate repeat his pleas again and again. His common sense told him to force Starscream to be the servant he needed the Seeker to be but… there weren't many who genuinely enjoyed his company for what he supposed were obvious reasons and Starscream had once done so. There was a possibility he could have that camaraderie again naturally.   
The question was, was that chance worth sacrificing?  
No, no it wasn't.  
He guided his second back to Starscream's own quarters and ordered him to recharge for a while and to get himself back under control.  
The subject of the SIC being reprogrammed had never come up again between them and Megatron had ensured that Starscream learnt to enjoy putting others through the process. To be a true and fearless Decepticon as the second in command of their army should be.   
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He had shown mercy then and, sometimes, he wondered what would have happened if he had gone through with it. If he had forced Starscream to go through it. Their relationship had not substantially improved afterwards, if anything his Seeker had grown more distant, although there was... something there that could have led to an early truce between them; the hostility between them decreasing ever so slightly.  
Megatron knew that the distance his second had put between himself as his leader was probably down to fear and insecurity. That, and solar cycles of hurt and hatred didn't just disappear. Starscream had learnt to hide things from him through necessity and it, like many other things that should never have begun in the first place, had become a habit.  
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A few decacycles after Starscream's near reprogramming, a raid had failed and Megatron had almost deactivated his second in his rage. Any good that could have potentially been done by the Commander sparing his second had been completely wiped away. And any thought Megatron had had of properly reconciling with his Seeker had been forgotten.  
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If keeping secrets was Starscream's bad habit then Megatron harming his second was the Commander's. If he could find a way to uncover Starscream's secrets then the Seeker would need not fear being found out and, surely, the way would be left clear for things to improve between them as Megatron would have no cause to punish his SIC?  
He was not a processorless beast, he could control himself. If Starscream gave him no cause to be angered then he would teach himself not to harm the Seeker in temper.  
Suddenly a small smile spread across the Decepticon Lord's faceplates. He watched his Elite Trine do some basic aerobatics and chuckled then he turned and walked to his throne.  
A way to find out all of his flier's little secrets while punishing him for them blooming in his processor.  
It would be a fair exchange, everything considered, Starscream's secrets for the Commander's restraint.  
It would give them a new start but what of ensuring Starscream's loyalty? His expression went thoughtful for a moment before brightening.  
Starscream was nothing if not a mech of his word after all. If he could…  
He paused for a moment then decided more than a little guiltily, in the spirit of their truce and his second's previous honesty, to give the flier a chance to open up to him, for them to talk properly.  
One more chance.  
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Hope you all liked it and please review.  
The quote from the last chapter was from the Armada episode Regeneration in one of my favourite Starscream moments ever from any universe. It's on youtube if you fancy a look.


	13. The Beginning

Author's Notes- Hello again here is the thirteenth chapter. Sorry for the wait and I know I said the fourteenth chapter would be published straight after this one but the chapter that would have been number fourteen is now number fifteen so you will get it the day after number fourteen is published instead.   
The first two sections are a flashback beginning when Megatron and Starscream meet in private for the first time and is based on the PS3 game 'Transformers: War for Cybertron' with bits of other verses thrown in so it is not exactly like the storyline established in the game; and so this chapter contains several spoilers for the game and any recognisable text is from there. If you have not played the game all the really need to know is (spoilers) that Megatron attacked a space station which contained dark energon that Starscream was protecting for the Autobots, the Seeker lost and then he and his trine joined the Decepticons (end spoilers).   
Special thanks to Iwanita, poisonouswaffle'n-stuffs and Kitt SummerIsle for their reviews, to everyone who favourited and alerted this story and Kibble Beast for betaing :-).   
Italics- Flashbacks/thoughts/memories/link speak. (Normal text in long flashbacks).  
Bold- Comm speak.  
Warnings- Transformer swearing, death and violence.  
Disclaimer- I do not own Transformers or its characters.  
Beta- The lovely Kibble Beast.  
All mistakes are my own.  
I hope you all enjoy it.  
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Chapter Thirteen- The Beginning  
Starscream looked out at the station he had guarded for the last thousand solar cycles as it was defiled and warped beyond recognition feeling nothing but relief that it was no longer his responsibility or his trine's prison. Perhaps there was some guilt located in the depths of his spark but at that moment he couldn't bring himself to search too thoroughly or even to care that much about what should be coursing through his energon but simply wasn't.  
He had tried to protect it, tried to destroy what their attacker had been seeking, but the mech had infused him with a curiosity he had thought long dead inside him. And, purely selfishly, he had wanted to see more of this new intriguing… just different being who bore no resemblance to any he had ever met.  
Megatron. The monster in sparkling's nightmares… 'If you don't do as you're told then He will come and get you,' creators would warn their disobedient offspring, 'from under your berth or out of your cupboard, he will find and hurt you…'  
A gladiator so powerful he could immerse himself in dark energon and, instead of being destroyed as anyone else would, only became stronger.   
In the face of such a creature what was Starscream to do? A being who would willingly risk his life and destroy his ship crashing it into a station all in the name of taking what he wanted. It went against his scientific nature to truly try and destroy something so unique but at the same time the Seeker had an obligation to the Autobots even though they had long since abandoned him.   
Betrayed him.   
Why should he have tried overly hard to save them? The flier's trine came first above any and all others. Why should he sacrifice them and himself for mechs and femmes who would not do the same for him? They had had the chance a thousand solar cycles ago and made no move to aid the Seekers.  
Vos was consumed by flames and no one so much as batted an optic…  
No! They didn't deserve his help after everything they had done to him and his kin. Whatever happened to them now they deserved their fate, the plans the Warlord had in store for them. Let them suffer, burn and feel the spark stabbing sense of betrayal that he had done as they deactivated.   
In Starscream's opinion it wouldn't be nearly enough.  
Megatron had said, tempting him, that he knew of all of this. That he would give Starscream the chance to be free if only the Seeker served the Decepticon Lord and even if it was swapping one cage for another more gilded one at least he would be able to study the mech that had so captured his attention.  
And the tyrant apparently held a mutual fascination if what the recordings of others and the behaviour Megatron had exhibited while trying to commandeer the station held any truth. No matter how strong he knew the Warlord to be and how threateningly he had acted the scientist found himself feeling safe around him, like he would be protected because the larger mech viewed Starscream and his trine as his and therefore he was the only one with the right to destroy them.  
The flier could give up some of the pressure that had been resting on his shoulders all this time, keeping him from flying without a chain around his throat tightening with each passing orn Starscream had been confined in that living Pit. A dead and outmoded station that made him feel like he was rusting from the inside just looking at all the sheer nothingness that it possessed and Skyfire's closed-mindedness didn't help the feeling of suffocation he and his trine suffered.  
Megatron could have it and use it as he would.  
'Starscream,' the tyrant came up behind him and placed an unyielding servo on the flier's shoulder armour, 'everything is going well I trust?'  
There was always a hint of something dangerous in that voice like a beast kept leashed until the larger mech deemed it needed.   
'Yes Lord Megatron,' the Seeker smiled disarmingly.  
Megatron raised an optic ridge and clapped him on the back in a bizarre mixture of praise and disapproval. 'Well done,' he murmured into the winged mech's audio, 'however…' He trailed off briefly and began to explore the flier's wings, lip components twitching upwards at how they shivered beneath his claws.  
Starscream didn't feel pain or unease only a sense of strangeness at a new sensation. TC, Warp, Perceptor and a couple of medics had been the only ones he could remember to have touched his appendages. His creators would have also done so but he could no longer remember them clearly whether it be their faceplates, design or their touch his memory banks often drew a blank.   
The tyrant was caressing him as if he had never touched such things before making each touch either feather light or just a little too harsh. Soon, Megatron found the right balance and the flier relaxed under the caresses and took the silent approval with the release of the knot that had been growing in his spark for a very long time.  
'Starscream… I know you put on performances, all mechs do, but I do not wish for you to do so deliberately with me. I allowed you to manipulate me into sparing your trine but you have since earned some of my trust and I wouldn't want you to lose it so quickly.' Megatron kept the warning friendly as the Seeker had not actually done anything wrong. It was more a reminder that things could become damaged between them if the flier held back things he shouldn't.  
'Yes Sir,' the Air Commander's optics shuttered, blocking out the image of the people who had once served under him, fellow scientists like himself, enslaved and being forced to serve a power they had never wished to and had feared for as long as they could remember; the last of the tension slipped from his frame as he turned to face his new Commander.  
As he met the tyrant's optics, the nature of Megatron's touch changed, purple electricity crackling around the Warlord's servos. A strong metallic palm rested on Starscream's chassis, directly above his spark and, keeping their frames connected, the Decepticon Lord pushed his new servant back into the shatterproof window. 'Many others have had their share,' the larger mech's optics bound the Seeker's gaze to his, 'are you ready for yours?'  
Indecision flew across the flier's faceplates. Dark energon could destroy a world without difficulty, his spark felt rather small in comparison. However, on seeing the challenge in the older mech's deep red orbs he took a deep ventilation and nodded, wincing as Megatron's free servo shot up to grip his arm.  
'It will only hurt for a few moments,' the tyrant assured before slamming the energy into the smaller frame in front of him through his servo.  
For a klik all Starscream could feel was like he was being incinerated from the inside and the small part of his processor that escaped the merciless flames running through his circuits was grateful to Megatron for holding him up as his frame convulsed and his legs lost their strength.  
Then something else appeared behind the agony, sparkling, glittering and calling out to him. All he had to do was reach it and-  
Utter power rolled in waves through his frame until it consumed him completely, his systems working almost beyond their capacity to keep him from overheating.   
Eventually his sight began to clear and he regained some sense of control, willingly sliding to the ground into a respectful kneel at Megatron's pedes, the Commander's servo still grasping his arm, gasping desperately for air.  
'Good?' The tyrant whispered smoothly, knowingly.  
'Y-yes,' the flier managed, 'h-how… how did you do that?' How do you control it so easily?  
'I'll teach you over time,' the Warlord promised, 'now for that trine of yours. Summon them here.'  
For a moment, the trine leader balked. Thundercracker would probably be fine but Skywarp… their youngest brother was so innocent that it seemed an act of violation akin to rape.  
Accessing the trine-bond, Starscream dragged his brothers from recharge, and called them to him frantically trying to decide if it would be better or worse for them to warn them what was going to happen.   
'My Lord…' The Seeker stared at the entrance, feeling the others approaching.  
'Calm yourself I have no intention of harming my Command Trine,' Megatron soothed, running one of his servos up and down a wing, the other was used to pull the Air Commander to his pedes.  
The door intercom pinged and the Warlord called out for the fliers to 'Enter.'  
Thundercracker strode in first, Skywarp a step behind him in respect to his older sibling. They crossed the room, successfully hiding the hesitancy and fear that Starscream could feel thrumming in their bond by masking it with pride and respect. The purple and black Seeker stopped and dropped to one knee three paces before the blue flier did causing Megatron to raise his optic ridge at the teleporter.  
Feeling the need to defend his trinemate, Starscream commed the Decepticon Lord, he is not being cowardly Master, he is showing his deference to Thundercracker as an older Seeker as well as yourself.  
The tyrant chuckled back to him through the link and stepped forward, away from the eldest flier.  
The middle brother sent a quick questioning, almost panicked, pulse through the link as Megatron raised his servo and Starscream sent a steady flow of comfort and reassurance back.  
The Warlord sent two lines of purple flame-like light in quick succession from his metallic palm. Skywarp just caught the sight of his middle brother falling, frame fitting violently, to the ground before he too was overwhelmed by the strength of Megatron's tamed dark energon.  
The trine-leader watched, spark churning, as his brothers writhed helplessly on the ground. Rushing forward he was startled to feel the gladiator grab his servo.  
Turning with pleading optics to his leader, Megatron simply gave him a rare true smile and released the more delicate appendage to wrap an arm around his shoulders, 'let them do it for themselves, they will be fine.'  
Starscream couldn't stop the worry showing on his faceplates but he didn't struggle against the tyrant's hold, sending love through the trine link and hoping that it penetrated through to his family's sparks.  
Unsurprisingly, Thundercracker came back to himself first, pulling his suddenly exhausted frame back upright, optics bleary. Megatron caught the middle Seeker's gaze and beckoned him forward. The blue Seeker crawled towards the Warlord's pedes shakily, venting harshly as he moved. Crooning soft praise to the bewildered but lightly smiling flier, the larger mech ran a servo along a wing tip before moving past him to stride over to Skywarp who was slowly sitting up and shaking his helm in an attempt to clear it.  
As Megatron squeezed the youngest flier's shoulder and talked to him quietly, the trine-leader crouched and gently took Thundercracker's chin. Are you alright? He questioned concernedly through the link.  
It's strange Star, like flying and overloading at the same time. The blue Seeker sighed back, optics shuttering and rubbing his faceplates against his trine-leader's servo.  
It kind of tingles, the teleporter's dazed voice chipped in, but glows too.  
Relieved that they seemed to be taking it as well as to be expected, Starscream slid an arm under TC's shoulders and pulled him to his pedes watching Megatron do the same for Skywarp. When they were both more in control of themselves, the tyrant dismissed the two back to their quarters but insisted that his Air Commander stayed with him.  
For about a cycle they experimented as to how much dark energon the winged mech could handle before Starscream finally passed out completely into Megatron's secure grip. Carrying the smaller mech over to a nearby couch, the tyrant lowered him into it carefully musing out loud, clearly unaware that the flier had come round slightly for a few moments and so heard his thoughts, that this newest addition to his army could provide good company for him while being beneficial to his forces. A confident curious being to provide a sound contrast and perfect complement to Soundwave's cold and logical nature.  
An astrosecond later Starscream fell under again and when he woke a cube of glittering high grade was eased into his servos. 'Drink,' the tyrant's low gravelly voice spoke near his audio.  
'Thank you Master,' the flier murmured and sipped from the small cube, the strength of the fuel hitting his empty tank even harder than it would have done normally.  
'Rest, there's no rush.' Starscream looked up to see Megatron sat in front of him, a cube in the tyrant's own servos. Standing, the larger mech downed his cube and placed it on the table behind him. Standing he trailed his claws across the flier's shoulder as he passed towards the door, 'come to the command deck when you're ready.'  
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This is madness, Thundercracker's horrified voice came through the link as they stared at the destruction Megatron was causing, burning shards of Autobot rockets dropped through the sky, Cybertron shimmering like a mirage behind the deaths of hundreds of its creations. Star… we did this.  
It would have happened with or without us TC, it's not our fault. Starscream filled the link with reassurance, privately taking the blame on himself not necessarily for the loss of their allies turned enemies but for the sickness he had enabled the Decepticon Lord to inflict on their planet that would eventually consume it.   
How could I have let him hurt you? He carefully kept the thought to himself.   
Shh, that creepy mech's watching us, Skywarp whispered.  
The trine-leader side glanced and his spark twisted to see Soundwave staring at them from across the room.  
Isn't even our trine-link safe anymore? The middle brother sighed desolately.  
It will be, the eldest Seeker promised, I'll find some way for us to have our privacy.  
'Ah Starscream,' Megatron came up behind them and led the Seeker away from his brothers, 'come along I have some vintage high grade I would like to share with you.'   
The Warlord discreetly flashed his optics at his TIC as he and his Air Commander left the deck but Skywarp noticed and gave Starscream a warning through the link.  
'Starscream,' the tyrant vented loudly as they entered Megatron's private quarters, 'I am trusting you to keep your brothers loyal to me…'  
'Of course Master,' the flier nodded, 'they're just adjusting to things after being cooped up for so long.'  
'Ah yes, I'm sure they will grow accustomed given a little time.' The Warlord left the subject alone after that and the Seeker knew it was because the younger fliers had not actually made any move against him and knowing that the Commander felt safe in the knowledge that Soundwave could keep an optic on matters if Starscream failed to be impartial. 'High grade?'  
The Air Commander smiled, forcing the images of the dying mechs and the sound of screaming that he knew he shouldn't have been able to hear from his processor. He knew he could readapt to it, after all he'd killed before it had just been a while that was all.  
They all had had a bumpy start but Skywarp quickly internalised and proceeded to thrive in Decepticon ideology and Thundercracker followed soon after, only needing reassurances occasionally from his brothers that he was where he should be and eventually he settled completely.  
All three loyal to Megatron's cause.  
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Starscream's engines hummed softly as he drifted pleasantly in that place between recharge and online as his memory flux drew to a close, the sparkling making soft cooing noises still deeply in his own recharge beneath the older Seeker's servo, sighing occasionally as the SIC stroked his developing wings.  
It had been simpler back then, much easier. They had hunted Autobots on the ground while any that tried to leave were blown out of the air before truly getting out of Cybertron's atmosphere. The planet itself, being infected by dark energon at Megatron's servo, eventually became almost uninhabitable with only the most battle-hardened of Decepticons daring to stay and live on its surface.  
Every now and then the SIC wondered if they still lived on the planet itself or if they had moved into permanent space stations in its orbit but always quickly dismissed the thoughts as pointless.  
The flier sat up, careful not to disturb the sparkling nestled into his chassis, his internal alarm alerting him to the fact that the Warlord would be paying him a visit in exactly a cycle's time. The happy memories he had seen in recharge, while not as enjoyable then they were soothing to his spark now, faded into the back of his processor to be replaced with far worse ones.  
He could understand the tyrant's wish to talk over things in the interest of moving past them but the fact was they were far more painful for him than they were for the Warlord.  
It was going to be a long, long orn.  
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Hope you all liked it and please review.  
Thanks and I'll see you all soon.


	14. Vertigo

Author's Notes- Hi, so sorry for the wait for this one. I need some time to get to grips with the story again (my ideas for it have changed and I may edit the previous chapters to show this, if so I'll put a note either in the summary or in chapter notes) but the eventual ending is written, so I hope that makes up for the wait somewhat. 

Special thanks to Iwanita, poisonouswaffle'n-stuffs, Olivaceous, Francesca Zatnik, Kitt SummerIsle and Guest for their reviews, to everyone who favourited and alerted this story and Kibble Beast for betaing :-). 

Italics- Flashbacks/thoughts/memories/link speak.

Bold- Comm speak.

Warnings- Transformer swearing, death and violence.

Disclaimer- I do not own Transformers or its characters.

Beta- The lovely Kibble Beast.

All mistakes are my own.

I hope you all enjoy it.

* * *

Chapter Fourteen- Vertigo

Starscream strolled out of Hook's med-bay gleefully, engines purring in relief and delight. His systems were normal and he could fly solo once more. Even though Megatron wished to speak with him he still intended to go for a quick flight first, perhaps take his sparkling to visit the hatchling's burial site, to release the pressure that had been steadily increasing through his recuperation as the skies were consistently denied him; Skywarp and Thundercracker had work to do after all and couldn't be expected to indulge him whenever he felt a need to fly, which was increased as he couldn't so easily take his processor of it confined in his quarters as he had been. Pit… the sense of entrapment alone was enough to cause cravings significantly more intense and frequent than normal. He shuddered, wings twitching before heading for his labs. He would just quickly check on the state of his humans first, then he would pick up the little one and soar through the air under his own power once more. The thought brought a grin to his faceplates however, as the SIC rounded the corner kliks later, his good mood evaporated in an instant.

His lab door was open.

The Seeker knew he had locked it securely so who had had the audacity to go in there without his permission? It had to be his trine or Megatron. They were the only ones who had the codes necessary to get in without setting off his security systems. As he reached his doorway he froze and cool rage blasted through his systems.

Inside his lab, his lab, were Soundwave's four remaining symbiotes. After the deaths of Frenzy and Ravage, Laserbeak, Buzzsaw, Rumble and Ratbat were the only ones left. And apparently they had taken it upon themselves to absolutely trash Starscream's lab for reasons that were known only to their tiny little processors.

_'What the frag do you think you're doing?'_ Starscream shrieked so loud it was a miracle the Autobots didn't hear him on their base on Earth. 'Get out!'

'Bossbot's orders,' Rumble countered, stood on the SIC's desk holding Sarah up by one leg over the edge and shaking her, smirking at the fleshling's cries of distress. Soundwave's orders had actually been to _discreetly_ search Starscream's lab, and leave it with the impression it had been untouched. The humans, however, had caused somewhat of a ruckus and one thing had let to another. Once several vials had been smashed and datapad screens inadvertently broken, spider web cracks and crackles of electricity flaring up from the dormant metal, all sense of caution had then been thrown out of the proverbial window.

It was then that the four youngsters were reminded how fast the Decepticon Air Commander could move when he had the processor to as, an optic blink later, Soundwave's creation was dangling above Starscream's helm. 'Drop her or I will tear your arm off!' He hissed dangerously. Whining, the small mech released his hold on the human and Starscream caught her with his free servo. Turning around he glared at the three fliers and they relinquished the humans they were holding. The male Laserbeak had had his claws on was broken beyond repair so the Seeker put him out of his misery, sliding his remains into the incinerator afterwards. 'Now,' he began quietly, unnerving the other Decepticons as he placed the humans back in their little homes, 'what is the meaning of this?'

'Bossbot's orders,' Rumble repeated, 'we have to find things to prove-' The small mech shrieked as Laserbeak grabbed his younger sibling and slashed him with his talons causing energon to leak down the younger's chassis.

'Be silent!' The largest flier snarled in the little bot's audio and Rumble whimpered and went quiet. Softening, the now eldest of Soundwave's symbiotes after the loss of Ravage, lowered his brother to the ground and nuzzled him, 'hush.'

The Air Commander watched the display and then sighed, 'just leave all of you. I'll speak with your maker.' As they trooped out Starscream slumped in his seat and looked at his lab. Only at the beginning of the orn it had been perfectly arranged but now it would take him the rest of the day cycle to put it back in order. _So much for going for a flight,_ he thought bitterly and bent down to pick up the reports at his pedes. They, he noted venomously, were scratched beyond recognition and would have to be redone. Setting to work on restoring his lab after briefly examining his humans (luckily he had only lost the one man); he vowed revenge on that slagging telepath who always seemed to ruin everything for him somehow, almost spitefully and only when Megatron was in charge as of course it would be illogical to sabotage Starscream when he was in a position of temporary leadership.

Always and forever, only temporary.

Then a thought struck him. Only he, Megatron and his trine could get into his lab. He hadn't told anyone but his trine his passwords and he would bet his last cube of energon they hadn't said anything so it had to have been his Commander who had given Soundwave the codes. The SIC knew his leader wouldn't have given the TIC his own mass overrides so the Warlord had given the telepath Starscream's personal pass codes. Starscream knew Megatron had them, he wasn't a complete fool whatever the older mech believed, but it had never occurred to him that the Decepticon Lord would risk his SIC's safety by telling others that sort of data. Moreover it had never seemed worth risking any backlash from his Commander by changing them. If he could be punished for dropping a datapad, as he once had happen to him, then his psychotic Commander would most certainly punish his second for doing something as audacious as changing his own personal codes…

To be fair to the older mech, he forced himself to think after a moment, that punishment had happened on a particularly bad orn for the army, the orn they had lost the All-Spark to space. He had to make an effort, he knew, but that didn't stop him from being angry with his leader in his own processor for a while. Unconsciously, he did acknowledge that the thinking he had towards Megatron was a significant part of their problem, and he was silently frustrated with himself that it was a part of his nature that he could not change without time. He could be that patient if he wanted to, but he doubted his Lord could.

Sighing through his vents and wings flicking in upset, he made to stride from the room before an idea struck him. Going to his door panel, uncaring now if he got in trouble (his Lord had started this game after all, he gave a small grin) and being sure to block the view of Megatron's security camera, he entered new codes. Perceptor's old codes from back at the Academy.

_Let's see the old rust bucket figure that one out._

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Megatron watched his second cleaning his lab through his security cameras expressionlessly before raising an optic ridge as his flier straightened and an appearance of resigned frustration crossed his subordinate's faceplates. Engines rumbling, he waited for Starscream's reaction and was interested to see the Seeker make to leave his labs, simply abandoning his clean-up. His curiosity only increased as Starscream paused and did something to his door panel, went out into the corridor and calmly closed up his laboratory. Baffled, the Commander watched his Air Commander's newly-pristine frame, the Seeker's helm held high and seemingly carefree, saunter to his own quarters and again tinker with his door panel.

Finally his inquisitiveness overrode his determination to simply observe his second for a part of the day cycle and the Warlord left his quarters to speak with him. Megatron wandered down the corridors until he reached his second's door.

He was to be disappointed however for Starscream had not lingered long. The Seeker strode down the hallways chuckling quietly to himself. His behaviour was sparkling-like the flier could admit but he would like to see anyone challenge him on it. As he walked around aimlessly, but giving himself the air of having a purpose, Starscream became aware that there was something obnoxiously loud going on somewhere nearby. The SIC snarled in disgust as he froze in a doorway and watched the rest of Megatron's _oh so noble_ army.

Completely and utterly off their faceplates on high-grade. When their rations were so low as to be non-existent.

This was the failing of the Decepticons, right there for all to see. Despite the hoard that the Seeker's trine had brought in not decacycles ago rationing had never been relaxed. This, in itself, was not a problem. Actually, it was a rare good decision on their beloved Commander's part, one with foresight. However his comrades, so used to the abundance of energon that they used to have on Cybertron even after all these solar cycles, converted most of their shares into high-grade. They seemed unable to let the past go, drinking themselves into a stupor to avoid thinking about the present only to pay the price for their small comfort later. Like humans could not live off alcohol (and still remain functional) neither could Cybertronians live on the strong stuff alone. It did nothing to maintain systems, actually too much could be severely damaging, and it did not replenish a mech's energy levels for long. They were given a short, sharp burst of energy, which could result in injury to your processor if one drank to excess. It lasted possibly an orn and then faded. The energy low-grade produced, although it tasted foul, lasted much longer and did work to preserve your systems. Essentially it was similar to comparing the nutritional value of whisky to water or milk.

The other mechs were oblivious to his presence. _Wouldn't the Autobots be impressed if they attacked now?_ By tomorrow the army would be starving, exhausted and desperate once more. Until the next time they were given supplies in three orns time, then the whole cycle would begin again. The only mechs who did not follow this pattern were the Seekers, (including Starscream himself, as he diligently monitored the amount of high-grade they drank, and the sparkling was much too young for it), Megatron, Soundwave and the telepath's cassettes. Starscream's and Megatron's high-grade were preserved from their Cybertron days and Starscream only added more when his stash was running low. Other than that he forced himself to down low-grade with an occasional sip of medium-grade to purge the taste from his glossa and throat components.

_The Autobots…_ It was actually quite a troublesome thought. If they were attacked now, what would they do when only three Commanders, the fliers and the _younglings_ were operating with any sense of control and decorum? _What would they do jump at Prime then trip over their shadows?_ While amusing in thought, any offensive on the part of those moral idiots now would be devastating. It was something he would have to _tactfully,_ possibly through Soundwave by presenting the logicality of the problem to their TIC, suggest to Megatron. Surely if Starscream could keep his Seekers in line then there must be a way to control the other half of their forces as well?

Making to turn his back on the shameful display behind him (at least he and Megatron kept it in the privacy of their quarters and did not degrade themselves in such a way) the Air Commander walked straight into the grip of his leader. Looking up, Starscream could see that Megatron was, genuinely, _smiling_ at him.

He could admit it unnerved him as whenever Megatron smiled at him unprovoked it always seemed to bode ill for him, however, he decided to give his leader the benefit of the doubt and he didn't wish to cause another argument so quickly. The confrontation over the codes could wait for a little while, especially as he'd already had some petty revenge over it.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Megatron wrapped an arm around Starscream's shoulders and guided him away from the noise and the mess, back up to the Seeker's own personal quarters. 'Come for a stroll with me my dear second, we have business to discuss.'

Starscream shivered slightly without being quite certain why. Hadn't he… hadn't he heard that phrase before? 'My Lord?'

'How's that hatchling of yours progressing?' The tyrant asked unexpectedly.

'He's fine, thank you Master,' the Seeker almost stumbled as Megatron abruptly picked up his pace, his talons reached out to clutch at the wall. 'I've thought of a designation for him.'

'You're sure he'll live then?' The Warlord asked, metallic palm firmly in the small of his second's back.

'Reasonably so, yes My Lord. I have had an idea as to how to save him.' Starscream felt the first inklings of panic flutter in his tanks. Megatron normally only ever took him somewhere private like this if the punishment was severe enough to warrant it and the old anxious habit was a hard one to break. 'Master… is there something wrong?' He asked, testing the waters to reassure himself that all was well.

'Indulge me awhile Starscream.' The tyrant cajoled, his touch becoming slightly gentler, as if realising he was placing too much weight on the flier's back.

The Seeker nodded firmly as they entered his rooms and the door slid shut behind them, trapping him in with the stronger mech. Everything was fine, he was overreacting. Even if Soundwave had gotten the codes from Megatron as Starscream suspected, it could have happened vorns ago, long before their truce, and the TIC had taken it upon himself to check on the behaviour of his immediate superior. Soundwave's surveillance had been a constant in Starscream's function since his promotion to second-in-command, nothing out of the ordinary, not at all.

Suddenly, before Megatron could address his second, the hatchling scampered up to the side of his berth, chittering excitedly. The little one spun himself around and fell backwards with a giggle, looking up at the two larger mech with sparkling, crimson orbs.

A rare thing, he was, Starscream realised. A Decepticon completely untainted by war, an… innocent.

The SIC smiled and twittered encouragingly, extending a servo to stroke the little one's helm. 'Hello Vertigo.' The designation had come from some rather amusing flight training. He laid his appendage on the berth, metallic palm up, and the hatchling jumped into it, cheeping cheerfully at hearing his designation again. It was new and therefore interesting to the tiny mech, as was everything in Starscream's lab which was why the Seeker left the little one secure in the SIC's berthroom. He didn't like leaving Vertigo alone so young, but there was nothing in Starscream quarters that could hurt the youngster, the Air Commander had made sure of it, and sometimes sensible supervisors couldn't be arranged. Skywarp and Thundercracker were on shift and Starscream knew he'd be put under in the medbay for a thorough systems check and final, finicky repairs. It was far safer to leave the little one resting peacefully in his quarters than to take him around the Nemesis where a young one such as him would be seen as a target for the less-controlled of their mechs.

'Starry,' Vertigo giggled, nuzzling the larger Seeker's metallic palm, wings flapping at the sight of his guardian.

Starscream laughed, _anything_ was better than Screamer and his name was a bit of a glossa twister for little ones, and caressed Vertigo fondly through their fledgling bond. Even when that link was broken, the little one would always be part of his trine, always protected in such a manner. Vertigo was family now, Starscream could admit, particularly with the loss of the remaining hatchlings, having slipped permanently offline in their pods while the Air Commander had been recovering.

Skywarp and Thundercracker had tried but, in the end, the prolonged damage to their tiny, developing systems through starvation had proven too much. The influx of energon had granted them more time, but it just had not been enough, and indeed perhaps only protracted suffering rather than actual life.

Maybe, as much as it pained Starscream to admit it, it had all been for the best.

A strong servo came down on his shoulder armour and his wings rose as he turned to his leader.

'I wish to hold him.'

Starscream stared for a moment and then carefully placed Vertigo into his leader's servos. Megatron's ruby gaze traced his growing soldier then glanced up at the clear fondness on the elder Seeker's faceplates.

Jealousy flared and he shoved the little hatchling back into his second's tender hold, the surprised squeak from Vertigo muffled as Starscream cradled him to his chassis and stroked his wings.

Megatron headed for the door, 'report to my quarters in a cycle,' he ordered without turning around and the door slid shut behind him.

Starscream stared down at a bewildered Vertigo with an identical feeling rolling in his tanks. Sitting on his berth, he began to practice the smaller Seeker's flying with him, to distract them both and to reassure the little one.

As Vertigo, with a sparkling's ability, forget his brief upset in mere kliks, Starscream could only watch the little one's joy quickly return as tiny wings beat the air and thrusters glowed, in envy, wishing he too could so easily put aside the niggling sense of foreboding building in his spark.

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